Find Academic Supervisors

George AzzopardiView profile

Associate Professor

• Pattern Recognition
• Image Processing
• Machine Learning
• +5 more

George Azzopardi is an Associate Professor in Pattern Recognition at the University of Groningen, affiliated with the Bernoulli Institute. He leads the PRISMA team, focusing on robust AI, medical imaging, and interdisciplinary applications in astronomy and forensics. His roles include coordinating the Applied AI theme at the Jantina Tammes School and leading WG4 of the EU GLITSS COST Action. Education: PhD in Computer Science (University of Groningen, 2013), MSc in Advanced Methods in Computer Science (Queen Mary University London, 2008), BSc in Computer Science (Goldsmiths College London, 2006). Research Interests: Brain-inspired algorithms, image processing, predictive analytics, and applications in radio astronomy, forensics, and medical diagnostics. His work emphasizes robustness in AI models and cross-domain collaborations. Publications span advancements in COSFIRE filters, deep learning robustness, and interdisciplinary applications like radio galaxy classification and biometric systems. Recent trends include enhancing model explainability and combating adversarial attacks. Awards: Ben Feringa Impact Award (2023), ENLIGHT Impact Award (2024) Advising: Supervises PhD students in AI-driven medical imaging, radio astronomy, and computer vision. Collaborates with institutions like ASTRON, UMCG, and industry partners Ziel NL and KAIOS. Labs/Teams: PRISMA team develops robust AI tools for medical and astrophysical data analysis, with projects on biostructure segmentation and camera forensics.

• Information Systems
• Process Automation
• Business Process Management
• +9 more

Professor Dimka Karastoyanova is a full professor of Information Systems at the University of Groningen's Faculty of Science and Engineering, leading the Information Systems Group within the Bernoulli Institute. Her roles include Vice-Chair of the Bernoulli Institute Board (since June 2024) and former Head of the Computer Science Department (2020–2024). Previously, she held positions at Kühne Logistics University (Hamburg) and the Hasso Plattner Institute (Potsdam). She earned her doctoral degree from TU Darmstadt and holds MSc degrees from TU Sofia and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. Her research focuses on data-driven process automation, service-based systems, runtime adaptability, middleware, and applications in logistics, healthcare, and eScience. Key interests include green BPM, privacy-preserving computing, and blockchain-enhanced workflows. She has led projects on flexible choreographies, provenance tracking, and collaborative adaptive systems. Publications highlight advancements in privacy-preserving computing, workflow security, and Mastodon network analysis. Awards include the Rosalind Franklin Fellowship. Teaching includes courses on Information Systems, Enterprise Application Integration, and BPM. Her work emphasizes cross-organizational collaboration and sustainability in IT systems, with contributions to reproducible eScience and secure multi-cloud environments. She actively participates in conferences like EDOC and ICWS, editing journals like Computing and reviewing for IEEE Transactions.

Jochen LiskeView profile

Professor

• Extragalactic Astronomy
• Observational Cosmology
• Galaxy Evolution
• +3 more

Jochen Liske is a Professor of Observational Astronomy at the University of Hamburg , affiliated with the Hamburger Sternwarte (Hamburg Observatory) and the Quantum Universe Cluster of Excellence . He leads the Observational Astronomy Research Group and contributes to major international collaborations like GAMA , WAVES , and 4MOST . Research Focus: Extragalactic astronomy, observational cosmology, galaxy evolution, dark energy, and real-time cosmology via redshift drift measurements. Instrumentation: Key roles in the 4MOST and ELT-ANDES spectrograph projects, including calibration and software development. Outreach: Creator of the Hubblecast and ESOcast video podcasts, presenter of documentaries like "Eyes on the Skies" and "The Eye 3D" , and frequent public speaker. His recent publications span galaxy surveys, gravitational wave detection methods, and instrumentation design. Notable awards include the MEDEA Special Jury Award 2009 for science communication and an ESO Fellowship . He teaches astrophysics courses and mentors students through projects like the Quantum Universe Cluster.

Sandra De Jesus RaimundoView profile

Lecturer

• Supermassive black holes
• Active Galactic Nuclei
• Galaxy evolution and dynamics
• +2 more

Dr. Sandra De Jesus Raimundo is a Lecturer in Astronomy at the University of Southampton's Department of Physics and Astronomy, where she conducts cutting-edge research on supermassive black holes and active galactic nuclei. She is a member of the Southampton Theory Astrophysics and Gravity (STAG) Research Centre and actively supervises multiple PhD students while teaching undergraduate physics courses including PHYS1005 and PHYS1201. Her research focuses on understanding the complex relationship between supermassive black holes and their host galaxies, with particular expertise in changing-look AGNs and tidal disruption events. Dr. Raimundo employs multi-wavelength observations and theoretical modeling to investigate how black holes accrete material and influence galactic evolution across cosmic time. Her work bridges observational astronomy with theoretical astrophysics to unravel the mysteries of galaxy-black hole co-evolution. Analysis of her recent publication record (2023-2025) reveals a strong emphasis on active galactic nuclei variability, black hole fueling mechanisms, and transient phenomena in galactic nuclei. Her research spans observational studies of specific objects like Mrk 590 and NGC 5806, as well as broader investigations into AGN populations in dwarf galaxies and the effects of fresh gas on nuclear activity. She frequently collaborates on major observational campaigns and contributes to the development of new astronomical methodologies. Dr. Raimundo is an active member of the astronomical community, contributing to significant projects like the AtLAST science initiative. Her work appears regularly in top-tier journals including The Astrophysical Journal and Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. As an educator, she holds Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy and is currently accepting new PhD students interested in black hole astrophysics and galaxy evolution. Her research group investigates the dynamic processes at the centers of galaxies, utilizing data from major observational facilities to advance our understanding of cosmic structure formation.

Jonghwan RheeView profile

Research Fellow

• Astrophysics
• Radio Astronomy
• Extragalactic Astronomy
• +5 more

Jonghwan Rhee is an Adjunct Research Fellow at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) within The University of Western Australia. He earned his PhD from the Australian National University in 2015 and has since focused on neutral hydrogen gas surveys using the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP), particularly the WALLABY and DINGO projects. Role : Adjunct Research Fellow, ICRAR (UWA) Education : PhD (2015) from Australian National University Expertise : Radio astronomy, extragalactic studies, HI gas surveys, and machine learning for galaxy classification His research examines galaxy evolution through neutral hydrogen gas distributions, tidal interactions, and star formation processes in low surface brightness galaxies. Recent work includes developing machine learning frameworks for source-finding in radio data and analyzing perturbed galaxies via H i morphometrics. Key collaborations include contributions to the WALLABY pilot survey datasets, with focus areas in stellar mass dynamics, galaxy clusters, and gas scaling relations. His outputs have been referenced in news outlets, academic networks, and software repositories.

Georgios DimitriadisView profile

Research Fellow

• Transient Astronomy
• Type Ia Supernovae
• Explosion Physics
• +6 more

Dr. Georgios Dimitriadis is a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Physics at Lancaster University . His research focuses on Transient Astronomy , particularly Type Ia supernovae explosion physics , progenitor systems , and thermonuclear transient populations . He participates in major surveys such as the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) , 4MOST/TiDES , and La Silla Schmidt Southern Survey (LS4) . Research Fellow at Lancaster University Member of the Physics Department Specializes in Transient Astronomy and Observational Astrophysics His research investigates the diversity of thermonuclear explosions , including peculiar Type Ia supernovae and their impact on cosmological measurements. He combines observational data with theoretical input to study explosion mechanisms and environmental dependencies, aiming to understand white dwarf explosion pathways . Key areas include optical and infrared spectroscopy , transient survey design , and cosmological bias mitigation . The ZTF SN Ia DR2 series of 2025 publications highlights his work on color standardization , high-velocity spectral features , galaxy cluster effects , and dust distribution changes with redshift . These studies utilize large-scale surveys and advanced spectroscopic analysis. Scientific awards: Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship Contact: g.dimitriadis@lancaster.ac.uk | Office: C063, Physics Building.

Sebastian HeinzView profile

Adjunct Professor

• Astrophysics
• High-Energy Astrophysics
• Galaxy Clusters
• +7 more

Sebastian Heinz serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research focuses on high-energy astrophysical phenomena, including active galactic nuclei (AGN), black hole jets, and X-ray transients. He employs numerical simulations and observational data to investigate AGN-jet interactions, galaxy cluster dynamics, and interstellar dust properties. Key research interests include the morphology and environmental impacts of AGN jets, the role of AGN feedback in galaxy evolution, and the application of X-ray dust tomography to map galactic structures. His work spans topics from gamma-ray bursts to the thermal regulation of galaxy clusters. Recent studies highlight trends in jet dynamics, AGN environmental interactions, and dust-scattering echoes from X-ray transients. These investigations aim to uncover fundamental processes in astrophysical systems, such as energy transfer mechanisms and the evolution of cosmic structures. No scientific awards or grants are explicitly mentioned in the provided materials. Dr. Heinz’s contributions include collaborations on missions like the X-ray Surveyor and analyses of data from instruments such as NICER and Chandra.

Arthur KosowskyView profile

Professor

• Cosmology
• Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation
• Dark Matter
• +4 more

Arthur Kosowsky is a Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Pittsburgh, affiliated with the Dietrich School. His research focuses on cosmology, particularly the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation, dark matter/dark energy, inflationary universe models, and gravitational waves. He is a key member of the Simons Observatory collaboration, leading efforts to observe the CMB using advanced telescopes in Chile's Atacama Desert. His work addresses fundamental questions about cosmic structure formation, dark energy's nature, and potential deviations from general relativity. Research interests include CMB polarization analysis, detecting primordial gravitational waves, and probing cosmic topology. Notable contributions involve analyzing anomalies in CMB asymmetry and large-scale correlations, simulating gravitational wave backgrounds from early-universe turbulence, and developing methods to study galaxy cluster dynamics. He has mentored numerous graduate students whose thesis topics span CMB lensing, cosmic birefringence, and transient phenomena. Scientific awards include the 2024 Fulbright US Scholar to Chile, APS Fellow (2014), and Cottrell Scholar (2000). His collaborations with the Simons Observatory aim to measure the B-mode polarization signal, neutrino masses, and cosmic magnetic fields through upcoming observations (2024-2025). He also leads efforts to detect transient millimeter-wave sources and study cosmic topology using machine learning techniques. Key projects include analyzing Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) data for cosmological parameters and exploring the moving lens effect. His research bridges theoretical models with observational data, emphasizing precision cosmology and fundamental physics tests. Active in fostering interdisciplinary methods, he advocates for leveraging advanced instrumentation and computational tools to unravel cosmic mysteries.

Rene BretonView profile

Professor

• Astrophysics
• Neutron Stars
• Pulsars
• +5 more

Rene Breton is a Professor of Astrophysics at The University of Manchester, leading research in neutron stars, pulsars, transients, and binary systems. He also applies remote sensing techniques to agricultural challenges, such as tracking invasive species like Parthenium in Pakistan using satellite data. His academic roles include Deputy Head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy and former Head of Research. Breton holds significant grants, including the ERC Starting Grant and Marie Curie Fellowship, and has supervised 19 students. Education: PhD in Astrophysics from McGill University (2009), BSc in Physics from Université Laval (2003). Key Positions: Professor at The University of Manchester (2020–present), Reader (2017–2020), Lecturer (2014–2017). Research Group: Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics Pulsars and Time Domain Astrophysics Group. His research explores fundamental physics via extreme astrophysical environments, including probing neutron star matter and gravity theories. Notable projects include the GOTO telescope array for transient detection and the TRAPUM pulsar survey with MeerKAT. He actively engages in public outreach, including collaborations with citizen science platforms like Kilonova Seekers. Recent Work: Focus on fast radio bursts, supernova progenitors, and gravitational wave follow-up. Recent publications include discoveries of hyperactive FRBs and insights into helium-interaction-driven supernovae. Awards: FP7 Marie Curie Fellowship (2014), H2020 ERC Starting Grant (2017). Teaching: Co-leads the Introduction to Data Science course for physics undergraduates. Labs/Teams: GOTO collaboration, BlackGEM telescope array, and MeerKAT TRAPUM project.

• Astrophysics
• Cosmology
• High-Redshift Galaxies
• +7 more

Darach Jafar Watson is a Professor at the Niels Bohr Institute , affiliated with the DARK Cosmology Centre and the Cosmic Dawn Center (DAWN) in Copenhagen, Denmark. His research bridges observational astrophysics and cosmology, focusing on high-redshift galaxy evolution, supernova progenitors, and interstellar medium studies using cutting-edge James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) data. His recent work examines neutral gas reservoirs in early galaxies, metallicity diagnostics in GRB hosts, and dust composition across cosmic epochs. Key collaborations span institutions like University of Iceland , STScI , and INAF . Scientific Awards Lundbeck Foundation Research Prize for Young Scientists (2013) DM Research Prize (2017) As a leading figure in cosmic dawn studies , he contributes to understanding galaxy formation during reionization. His team leverages JWST's NIRCam and ALMA's radio capabilities to explore obscured AGN and supernova environments. Current projects include metallicity calibration methods and SFR-mass correlation analyses in distant galaxies.

• Galaxy Formation
• Dark Energy
• Cosmic Microwave Background
• +3 more

Ananthan Karunakaran is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto's Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics , working under the supervision of Professor Roberto Abraham. His research focuses on galaxy formation, dwarf galaxy populations, and the impact of reionization on low-mass systems. Key Research Areas: Galaxy Formation Histories, Ultra-Diffuse Galaxies, Stellar Feedback, Reionization Effects Affiliations: Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics (University of Toronto) Selected Scientific Contributions: His recent work includes studies on star formation histories of ultra-faint dwarfs in M31's periphery, characterization of gas-rich ultra-diffuse galaxies, and investigations into tidal heating as a formation pathway for puffed-up galaxies.

Ivan Charles SterlingView profile

Professor

• Differential Geometry
• 3D Printing
• Mathematical Visualization
• +3 more

Ivan Charles Sterling is a Professor of Mathematics at St. Mary's College of Maryland, where he has been teaching since July 2000. He earned his B.A. from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1980 and his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in 1985. His academic career includes positions as Researcher at Max-Planck-Institut für Mathematik in Bonn (1985-1986), Visiting Lecturer at UC Santa Cruz (1986-1987), Assistant Professor at Technische Universität Berlin (1987-1991) and the University of Toledo (1991-1995), and Associate Professor at the University of Toledo (1995-2000). Professor Sterling's research focuses on differential geometry with particular emphasis on pseudospherical surfaces, minimal surfaces, and discrete curves. His work bridges theoretical mathematics with practical applications in 3D printing and geometric visualization. His teaching portfolio includes a wide range of courses from Calculus sequences to specialized topics like '3D Printing Galaxies' and '3D Printing Constant Negative Curvature Fabrics.' His publication history reveals a clear evolution from classical differential geometry toward more applied areas involving computational methods and 3D fabrication. Starting with theoretical work on minimal surfaces and pseudospherical surfaces in the 1980s-1990s, his research progressed through discrete geometry topics in the 2000s-2010s, culminating in his recent work on integrating 3D printing technology with mathematics education. This trajectory demonstrates how Sterling has successfully connected pure mathematical theory with tangible applications in visualization and digital fabrication. At St. Mary's College of Maryland, Sterling maintains an office in Schaefer Hall, Room 177, where he continues to teach undergraduate mathematics courses and conduct research that combines geometric theory with modern fabrication techniques. His work exemplifies how theoretical mathematics can find practical expression through emerging technologies.

William M. WolfView profile

Associate Professor

• Stellar Astrophysics
• Novae and Supernovae
• Computational Physics
• +2 more

William M. Wolf serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy within the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He is affiliated with the Blugold Center for High Performance Computing and is currently on sabbatical for the 2025–2026 academic year. His educational background includes: Ph.D. in Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara M.A. in Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara B.S. in Physics, Eastern Illinois University B.A. in Mathematics, Eastern Illinois University Wolf specializes in computational stellar astrophysics, particularly modeling classical and recurrent novae through thermonuclear runaway simulations. His research leverages the open-source MESA software framework to investigate white dwarf evolution, supernova progenitors, and galactic chemical enrichment. As a core MESA developer, he bridges theoretical modeling with observational astronomy to explain transient phenomena visible across galaxies. Analysis of his 12 publications (2014–2023) reveals consistent focus on stellar evolution codes, nova/supernova mechanisms, and white dwarf physics. Key trends include MESA code development for pulsating stars and convection modeling, plus observational studies of supersoft X-ray sources and recurrent novae. His work increasingly integrates multi-wavelength data with high-performance computing. Major recognitions include: NSF CAREER Award (2023): $526,813 for "Mixing and Oscillations in Novae" NASA Astrophysics Theory Program Grant (2024): $423,518 as Co-Investigator for "A New Paradigm for Supersoft X-ray Oscillations of Novae" Wolf mentors students in computational astrophysics projects using campus high-performance resources. His grant portfolio exceeds $950,000, supporting research on nova oscillations and supersoft source modeling. Future work targets MESA enhancements for supernova progenitor studies and recurrent nova recurrence mechanisms. He actively contributes to the international MESA developer team and collaborates on multi-institutional projects studying white dwarf binaries and transient events through facilities like Swift and iPTF.

• Astronomy
• Astrophysics
• Black Holes
• +2 more

Sandra Raimundo is an Assistant Professor and External Researcher at the Niels Bohr Institute, DARK Centre for Cosmology, University of Copenhagen, and concurrently serves as a Lecturer in Astronomy at the University of Southampton since July 2020. Her educational background includes: PhD in Astronomy, University of Cambridge (awarded February 18, 2012) Dr. Raimundo's research spans observational astrophysics with core expertise in black holes, active galactic nuclei (AGN), and galaxy evolution. She investigates photometric variability of AGN in dwarf galaxies, tidal disruption events, changing-look AGN phenomena, and AGN feedback effects on host galaxies using multi-wavelength observations and time-domain surveys. Her recent publications (2024-2025) demonstrate concentrated work in time-domain astrophysics, featuring studies on variable AGN in dwarf galaxies, disk reprocessing in tidal disruption events, and supernova progenitor evolution. These works frequently emerge from large international collaborations such as the Young Supernova Experiment and Pan-STARRS. She is an integral member of the DARK Centre for Cosmology, which conducts cutting-edge research on dark matter, dark energy, and cosmological structure formation. Her observational work directly contributes to the center's mission of advancing fundamental cosmic understanding through empirical evidence.

• Astrophysics
• Cosmology
• Quasar Absorption Lines
• +3 more

Sandhya Rao is a Part-Time Lecturer in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Pittsburgh's Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. Her academic work focuses on observational astrophysics and cosmology, particularly through quasar absorption line studies and galaxy evolution analysis. Research Interests: Cosmic metallicity, damped Lyman Alpha systems, circumgalactic medium, dwarf galaxies, and spectral analysis of quasar absorption features. Publications: 15+ peer-reviewed articles spanning eclipse shadow band studies, metallicity measurements in absorption systems, SDSS-based galaxy surveys, and UV spectroscopy of high-redshift phenomena. Methodologies: Utilizes ground-based and balloon-mounted photodiode arrays, Hubble Space Telescope imaging, Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectroscopy, and data catalog compilation for astrophysical investigations.