Department of Physics and Astronomy

Recent Graduates in Astronomy

Name Degree Received Dissertation Title Advisor Employment
Thomas Shao-Yu Lai 2021 May Exploring Small Dust Grains Across Different Galaxy Environments J.D. Smith Postdoctoral Researcher at IPAC, Caltech
Zakri, Wafa 2020 August A Search for Large Amplitude Variability in the Orion Molecular Clouds S.T. Megeath Faculty at Jazan University
Oswald, Wayne 2020 August An Assessment of Brown Dwarf Atmospheric Models Using Benchmark Brown Dwarfs M.C. Cushing Director of Instructional Labs at Ohio University in Athens, OH
Greco, Jennifer 2020 August Two Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Studies of Ultracool Dwarfs: A Proper Motion Survey Follow-Up and A High-Resolution Investigation M.C. Cushing Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Uppsala University, Swedish Collegium of Advanced Studies
Karnath, Nicole 2019 The Transition Points in Young Star and Young Star Cluster Evolution S.T. Megeath Instrument Scientist for SOFIA
Mazur, Brian 2018 A Photometric and Spectroscopic Study of Orion: From OB1b to Binaries S.T. Megeath Faculty at Fort Lewis College in Colorado
Hardegree-Ullman, Kevin 2018 June Kepler Planet Occurrence Rates for Mid-Type M Dwarfs as a Function of Spectral Type M.C. Cushing Postdoctoral Research Associate, IPAC, Caltech
Booker, Joseph 2017 August Characterizing the Role of Feedback and Protostellar Properties in the Orion Molecular Clouds S.T. Megeath Software engineer at Eversight
Gerhartz, Cody 2017 August Temporal Variations in the Circumstellar Disks of Be Stars from Analysis of Optical and IR Line Profiles K. S. Bjorkman Endpoint Support, Social Science Computing Cooperative at University of Wisconsin-Madison
Heidarian, Negar 2017 June A Homologolous Study of Lifetimes and Oscillator Strengths of Ultraviolet Transitions in Singly Ionized Lead, Tin, and Germanium S. R. Federman Lecturer, Department of Physics, University of Maryland
Deady, Michelle 2016 December Numerical Simulations of Microturbulence in Hot Stellar Atmospheres L.S. Anderson- Huang Lecturer of Physics, Department of Physical Sciences, Lander University
Togi, Aditya 2016 August Lighting the dark molecular gas and a Bok globule J.D. Smith  


Research Assistant Professor, Univ. of Texas – San Antonio

Starkey, Carl 2015 December A Spatially Resolved Survey of Mid-Infrared Aromatic Features in Nearby Galaxies J.D. Smith Research Analytics Specialist, The Ohio State University, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Human Genetics
Mulia, Alex 2015 December Stellar Populations in Nearby Merging Galaxies R. Chandar Data Scientist
Simanton, Lesley 2015 August Star Cluster Populations in the Spiral Galaxy M101 R. Chandar Lecturer and Planetarium Director, University of North Georgia
Brown, Justin 2015 May Abundance of Chlorine in H2 Poor Diffuse Interstellar Clouds (Masters Thesis) S. R. Federman  
Allen, Tom 2014 August A Multi-Wavelength Survey of the Young Cluster Cep OB3b S. T. Megeath Postdoctoral Research Associate, Lowell Observatory
Lark, Adam 2014 August Implementation of Scientific Community Laboratories and Their Effect on Student Conceptual Learning, Attitudes, and Understanding of Uncertainty L.S. Anderson- Huang Director of Introductory Laboratories, Physics, Hamilton College
Davidson, James 2013 May A New Era of Observational Capability at Ritter Observatory: Spectropolarimetry from Exoplanets to Circumstellar Disks and Beyond K. S. Bjorkman


Staff Scientist, Dept. of Astronomy, University of Virginia

Corliss, David 2012 December Time Series Analysis of the A0 Supergiant HR 1040 N. Morrison Lead and Manager, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Data Science Center of Excellence; Founder and Director, Peace-Work
Rangelov, Blagoy 2012 August High Mass X-ray Binaries in Nearby Star-forming Galaxies R. Chandar Assistant Professor, Physics, Texas State University
Poteet, Charles 2012 August Characterizing Dust and Ice Toward Protostars in the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex S.T. Megeath Postdoctoral Research Associate, Space Telescope Science Institute
Thomas, Joshua 2012 May A Spectroscopic Analysis and Modeling of the Red Rectangle J. Bjorkman Assistant Professor of Physics and Director of Reynolds Observatory, Clarkson University (Potsdam, NY)
Kryukova, Erin 2011 December A Comparison of Protostars in Diverse Star-Forming Environments S.T. Megeath U.S. Patent Office
Rush, Bradley 2011 December Near-contemporaneous Optical Spectroscopic and Infrared Photometric Observations of Candidate Herbig Ae/Be Stars in the Magellanic Clouds (Master's Thesis) K. S. Bjorkman Spitz, Inc.
Nero, David J. 2010 August Radiative Cooling in Disks and its Effects on the Formation of Giant Planets via the Gravitational Instability J. Bjorkman Lecturer, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Pittsburgh
Rety, Stephanie 2010 August A 3-D Monte Carlo Radiative Transfer Model for the Disk of Gamma Cassiopeiae (Master's Thesis) J. Bjorkman IT and Cybersecurity Professional, Bowling Green State University
Thompson, Greg 2009 August Time-series Analysis of Line Profile Variability in Optical Spectra of ε Orionis N. D. Morrison Assistant Professor of Physics, Adrian College
Hesselbach, Erica 2009 August Probing the Circumstellar Disks of Classical Be Stars with Optical and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy K. S. Bjorkman Notre Dame/Saint Mary’s Clare Boothe Luce Postdoctoral Instructor in Physics, Notre Dame, IN
Ritchey, Adam 2009 August The Abundance of Boron in Diffuse Interstellar Clouds S. R. Federman Eureka Scientific
Davidson, Robert 2009 August The Behavior of PAHs in the Presence of Jets and AGN in NGC 4258 (Masters Thesis) J.D. Smith Teacher, Bullitt Advanced Math and Science Program
Horne, David 2007 May A Method to Obtain Thermal Spectra of Martian Dust Storms over Cold Polar Surfaces L. S. Anderson & P. B. James Head Observational Research Astronomer, New York Center for Astrobiology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Benson, Jennifer 2006 December Properties of Water Ice Clouds over Major Martian Volcanoes Observed by MOC P. B. James Postdoc, MCS instrument on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
Wisniewski, John 2005 December The Effect of Age and Metallicity on Be Circumstellar Disk Formation K. S. Bjorkman NSF Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Astronomy, U. of Washington
Bonev, Boncho 2005 December Towards a Chemical Taxonomy of Comets: Infrared Spectroscopic Methods for Quantitative Measurements of Cometary Water P. B. James & M. J. Mumma Research Associate, Department of Physics, Catholic University of America (Washington, DC)
Vijh, Uma 2005 August Photoluminescence by Interstellar Dust A. N. Witt Research Assistant Professor, U. Toledo
Mihaylov, Ivaylo 2003 December Monte Carlo Radiation Hydrodynamics in the Winds of Massive Stars J. Bjorkman Assistant Professor, Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Rhode Island Hospital/Brown Medical Center (Providence, RI)
Pan, Kaike 2002 December Cloud Structure and Physical Conditions in Star-Forming Regions from Optical Observations S. R. Federman Senior Observing Scientist, Apache Point Obs. (Sloan Digital Sky Survey II)
Knauth, David 2001 December An Ultra-High Resolution Survey of the Interstellar 7Li-to-6Li Ratio in the Solar Neighborhood S. R. Federman Physics and Astronomy teacher at Franklin High School, Baltimore County Public Schools, Baltimore, MD
Cantor, Bruce 2000 May Martian Dust Storms: 1999 Mars Orbiter Camera Observations P. B. James Malin Space Science Systems (San Diego, CA)
Zsargó, János 2000 December Constraints for Models of CH+ Production and Non-Thermal Chemistry in Diffuse Interstellar Clouds S. R. Federman Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Fisica y Matematicas, C.P. 07738, Mexico, D. F., Mexico
Email: jzsargo @ esfm.ipn.mx
Smith, Tracy 2000 August The Photoluminescence of Interstellar Dust and Laboratory Dust Analogs A. N. Witt Space Science Institute-Columbus (Columbus, OH)
Gordon, Karl 1997 August Detection of Extended Red Emission in the Diffuse Interstellar Medium A. N. Witt Astronomer and JWST Instrument Scientist, Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI); Guest Professor, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Univ. of Ghent
Last Updated: 2/27/24