معرفی
Dr. V. Ashley Villar is an Assistant Professor of Astronomy at Harvard University, specializing in using machine learning and data-driven methods to study stellar explosions, mergers, and transient phenomena. She holds a PhD in Astronomy & Astrophysics from Harvard (2020) and a BS in Physics from MIT (2014). Her research focuses on supernova light curves, circumstellar interactions, and binary progenitor systems. She previously held positions at Columbia University as a Simons Junior Fellow and at Penn State as the inaugural Mercedes Richards Career Development Professor.
Her work leverages large-scale surveys like LSST and JWST to analyze transients, develop classification tools (e.g., SPLASH, Superphot+), and model explosion mechanisms. Awards include NSF and Ford Foundation fellowships. She collaborates on projects such as the Young Supernova Experiment (YSE) and contributes to multimessenger astronomy efforts linking gravitational waves to electromagnetic counterparts.
- Key Projects: YSE Data Release 1 (1,975 supernova classifications), extrabol bolometric light curve estimator, SBI++ inference framework
- Grants: NSF, Simons Foundation, LIGO collaborations
- Labs/Teams: Harvard CfA Transient Research Group, LIGO HET Response Collaboration
Her recent work includes analyzing GRB 221009A's supernova emission, kilonova light-curve interpolation, and binary merger signatures in double-peaked supernovae. She actively develops machine learning tools for transient classification and anomaly detection in big astronomical datasets.
