Nancy Aggarwal

Dr. Nancy Aggarwal is a Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of California, Davis. Her research focuses on gravitational wave astronomy, dark matter detection, and experimental astrophysics. She is actively involved in collaborations such as LIGO, Virgo, IceCube, and ARIADNE, contributing to groundbreaking studies of compact binary mergers, axion clouds around black holes, and high-frequency gravitational wave detection using optical trapping technologies. Her work bridges quantum optics, cosmology, and particle physics, aiming to explore fundamental questions in astrophysics and dark matter.

Key research areas include:

• Gravitational wave detection via novel methods like optical trapping of microdisks
• Searches for axion dark matter and primordial black holes
• Neutrino astrophysics using IceCube data
• Development of ultra-sensitive sensors for high-frequency gravitational waves
• Analysis of binary coalescence events in LIGO/Virgo data

Her recent publications explore challenges in gravitational wave searches above 10 kHz, constraints on dark photon dark matter, and optimization of SQUID gradiometers for axion experiments. Dr. Aggarwal’s contributions have advanced both observational and theoretical frameworks in multi-messenger astronomy and quantum metrology.