Charlotte Ward

Charlotte Ward is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Princeton University, affiliated with the Astro Data Lab. Her research focuses on time-domain survey science, multi-wavelength analysis of variable celestial objects, and accretion disk dynamics in active galactic nuclei (AGN) and tidal disruption events (TDEs). She develops advanced image modeling techniques, such as Scarlet2, to address observational challenges in upcoming sky surveys like Rubin Observatory.

Education:

• PhD in Astronomy, University of Maryland (2022)
• Bachelor's degree in Physics, University of Sydney (undergraduate and honors thesis work on fast radio bursts and pulsars)

Research Interests: Ward investigates 'state-changing' AGN, variable AGN in dwarf galaxies, and TDEs. She combines optical, infrared, and radio data to study accretion disk formation and evolution, particularly in scenarios involving wandering black holes or triggered accretion events. Her work also involves improving methodologies for transient detection in crowded fields using multi-resolution imaging.

Advising & Mentoring: She mentors undergraduate thesis projects and collaborates with graduate students at Princeton and other institutions. Previously led educational outreach programs targeting underrepresented groups through GRAD-MAP and Princeton's Physics EDI Initiative.

Labs & Collaborations: Core contributor to the Astro Data Lab at Princeton and the Scarlet2 development team. Collaborates with the ZTF black holes working group and utilizes surveys like VLASS and VAST for radio follow-ups.