Directory All A-Z
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I am interested in the study of the birth and evolution of binary stars and planetary systems, dynamics of astrophysical disks, physics of circumstellar dust, with occasional diversions to binary blackholes and AGNs
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My research is focused on understanding the structure and formation of galaxies, in particular the Milky Way. I use data from large surveys to investigate the distribution of stars in the Milky Way and how this distribution depends on the age and chemical composition of stars, which allows me to identify the basic processes that govern the formation and evolution of the Milky Way and disk galaxies like it. I am also interested in using the observed kinematics of stars to infer the distribution of mass—dark matter in particular—in our Galaxy. I am an active member of the APOGEE survey, which uses high-resolution, high signal-to-noise infrared spectroscopy to investigate the structure of the bulge and disk regions of the Milky Way, as well as many other topics in stellar and galactic astrophysics.
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My thesis work is focused on understanding the magnetic properties of the interstellar medium (ISM) within our Galaxy. In particular, I am interested in understanding how the Galactic magnetic field connects between different phases and spatial scales within the ISM. I am also interested in interstellar extinction in star forming regions where the ISM is primarily molecular. To do this, I am using optical and infrared photometry to study stellar extinction curves within a nearby giant molecular cloud with the goal of more accurately characterizing the ISM dust properties.
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Momen Diab completed his Ph.D. in astrophotonics at the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics (AIP) and the University of Potsdam. His recent research involved studying photonic lanterns and adaptive optics as enabling technologies for integrated IR astronomical instruments. He also worked on modeling atmospheric turbulence and waveguides.
Previously, he was part of projects in photonic wavefront sensing and ground-to-satellite laser links.
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My research is in the interdisciplinary field of astrostatistics, and I am jointly-appointed between the Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics and the Department of Statistical Sciences. I am interested in using and developing modern statistical methods for astronomy applications to answer fundamental questions about the universe. For example, I use hierarchical Bayesian analysis to study the dark matter halo of the Milky Way and other galaxies, and am developing new time series analysis methods to learn about the internal structure of stars.
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I use weak gravitational lensing and other precision cosmology methods to measure the large-scale structure of the universe. Much of my work involves developing statistical techniques that distill cosmological information from measurements of galaxy sizes, shapes, and colors. As a member of the science team for the upcoming Roman Space Telescope, I also work on planning, analysis, and pipeline development for the next generation of cosmology surveys.
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My main goal is to understand why the Universe is magnetic. By measuring the polarised radio signals from millions of distant galaxies over the entire sky, I aim to transform our understanding of magnetism in galaxies, clusters and in diffuse intergalactic gas. I also study the ways in which celestial objects change, flicker, flare and explode. I am working to provide a new understanding of the many different populations of transient and variable phenomena, and to develop the novel source-finding and classification algorithms needed to find rare and unusual behaviour in very large data sets. In the next decade, all of this work will culminate in the Square Kilometre Array, a next-generation radio telescope that will answer fundamental questions about the Universe.
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My research interests begin with finding and characterizing nearby extrasolar planets using the radial velocity and direct imaging methods. I characterize the planets’ masses and orbits and use large ensembles of planets to study planet demographics and occurrence rates. I am especially interested in the effects of binary star companions on the formation and evolution of exoplanets. Nearly half of all stars like the Sun are binaries, and the gravitational influence of a stellar companion can inhibit the formation or destabilize the orbits of planets orbiting each star. I seek to understand these effects by statistically comparing the occurrence rates and demographics of planets in single vs. binary systems.
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My research focuses on theoretical cosmology and statistical methods in cosmology. I am a member of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope collaboration and the Simons Observatory, which are studying the cosmic microwave background (or CMB) at very sharp angular resolution to unlock the secrets of the early universe and the period of star formation. I use this data to answer questions about the structure of the universe, its initial conditions and its eventual fate using data.
I am also a member of the Dark Energy Science Collaboration of LSST, which is a telescope under construction in Northern Chile, and will scan the sky to deliver a vast amount of cosmic transients. I work on the supernova science with LSST to use the photometric data (without a spectrum of the object) to answer questions about dark energy.
I’m passionate about science communication and outreach, and the intersection of art and science – so contact me if you’re interested in collaboration!
Biographical Info
I study the formation of planets, their interiors and planetary orbital dynamics. My goal is to determine how formation and orbital interactions influence the population of rocky exoplanets in terms of orbital and physical properties. I am also interested in the implications of these findings on exoplanet habitability. I depend primarily on numerical simulations of orbital dynamics and planetary interiors with the occasional use of observations of solar system and extra-solar bodies.
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I am primarily interested in using a combination of simulations, statistics and observations to answer questions about our Universe. Recently, I have used strong gravitational lensing and Bayesian inference techniques to constrain ultra-light dark matter theories. I have also worked on 21cm cosmology, from a theoretical and experimental perspective. For instance, I have investigated the effect of spin temperature on the relationship between matter and ionized hydrogen during the Epoch of Reionization with MCMC methods.
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Ting’s research focuses on near-field cosmology. In particular, she studies the stars in the Milky Way Galaxy and nearby galaxies to understand how they form and to understand the nature of dark matter. She specializes in analyzing large data sets from modern surveys and also performs traditional astronomical observations with optical and near-infrared telescopes. Ting also builds astronomical instruments and contributes to infrastructure work for large-area sky surveys such as the Dark Energy Survey (DES), Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), and others. She is the founder and leader of the Southern Stellar Stream Spectroscopic Survey (S5), a survey to map streams of stars in the sky visible from the Southern Hemisphere to determine the mass profile of the Milky Way. She is also one of the convenors of the DES Milky Way Working Group, as well as one of the Dark Matter Working Group co-chairs of the Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer, a 11.25-meter telescope facility dedicated to the next generation spectroscopic surveys.
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I was born and raised in Shanghai, China. I received my bachelor degree in astronomy at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). My research interests cover a wide range but focus on galaxies. In my spare time, you can see me playing badminton/swimming/jogging. I enjoy traveling in different countries and visiting museums.
M
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My primary research interest in theoretical astrophysics is the study of the structure and evolution of planets, accretion discs and stars. The fluid dynamics of these objects is a topic I particularly enjoy exploring, through a combination of analytical and numerical simulation work.
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I use simulations to study gravitational waves signals from inflation and forecasting for the CMB satellite LiteBIRD. I believe it is very important to increase the visibility of minoritized groups, increase diversity, and help make academia a more welcoming and accepting place. Alongside my research, I am also very engaged with public outreach in order to promote enthusiasm for science in youth and advocate for diversity.
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I study both the cosmic microwave background and the galactic star formation using a number of
balloon born instruments (BLASTpol, Spider, BIT).
O
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Anna O’Grady is a sixth year PhD candidate who studies massive star evolution, with a particular focus on variable and transient behaviour in supernova progenitors. She is supervised by Dr. Bryan Gaensler and Dr. Maria Drout. Her research involves identifying/analyzing the parameters of large populations of evolved massive stars in nearby galaxies, such as the Magellanic Clouds.
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As a member in the SDSS-V collaboration, I work mainly on developing and running the spectral analysis pipelines for the Milky Way Mapper (MWM). My research focuses on analysing the chemo-dynamical properties of star clusters and stellar populations in the Milky Way and nearby dwarf galaxies. I also developed a real-time extraction GUI software for a new IFU instrument (IFU-M) designed for use on the Magellan/Clay telescope.
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I am a Banting-Dunlap Postdoctoral Fellow jointly hosted between the
Department of Statistical Sciences, the Department of Astronomy &
Astrophysics, and the Dunlap Institute. My research focuses on using a
combination of astronomy, statistics, and computer science to combine and
analyze billions of stars and galaxies from wide-field imaging and
spectroscopic surveys to better understand the how galaxies like the Milky
Way form, behave, and evolve over time.
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The characterisation of the low-mass planets: super-Earths and mini-Neptunes. The former are planets that are mostly solid, either rocky or icy in composition, while the latter posses also a volatile
envelope. My goal is to determine if planets with masses between 1-15 Earth-masses are scaled up versions of Earth, or scaled-down versions of Neptune in terms of their composition, evolution and physical properties.
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I am interested in compact objects, stars and binaries, their structure, formation and evolution, and their use to infer fundamental physical properties. My research is based on observations, but includes interpretation, theory and numerical modelling as required. Currently, I am trying to use neutron stars to study physics in conditions out of reach of terrestrial experiment, and to solve associated astronomical puzzles. I’ve become particularly intrigued by the possibilities of extremely high resolution astrometry offered by pulsar scintillation.
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Currently a first year PhD student, I obtained my BSc in Earth Science (Geophysics specialization) from University of Waterloo in 2015. Afterwards, I briefly worked in engineering consulting before spending several years working in tech, and am now happily dedicated to my passion for astrophysics.
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My primary research interests involve the Large Scale Structure (LSS) in the Universe. By studying its properties and evolution, we can make firm statements about the physical processes which must have been active. Despite — or perhaps because of — its size, the LSS is difficult to observe, and specialized instruments and surveys are required to study it. I work on two such instruments, the South Pole Telescope (SPT), and the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME).
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My research interests are centered around gravitational dynamics, which connects the Universe across a wide range of spatial scales and timescales. The dynamical evolution of planetary systems, for example, can depend on gravitational interactions between planets and close encounters with passing stars. Star cluster evolution is strongly affected by both the interactions between cluster stars and the external gravitational field of the cluster’s host galaxy. Hence the evolution of planetary systems and star clusters are linked to the properties of the galaxy in which they reside, which will be made up of multiple components like a bar, spiral arms, giant molecular clouds, stellar streams, dark matter substructure, and satellite galaxies. Understanding how all of these systems are interconnected and being able to use them to study each other is the overarching goal of my work.
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