SAO-UMass/LIP Research Projects

Through the Gaussian Blur: Testing Observational Methods Using Galaxy Simulations
Naomi Aponte
Advisor: Rachel Cochrane

Towards an Accurate Line List of NH3 for Planetary Atmospheres
Kira Cote
Advisor: Robert Hargreaves

Revealing Hidden Substructures in Protoplanetary Disks
Feng Long
Advisor: Steve Espinoza Diaz

Determining the Physical Properties of Young Stellar Objects with Near-Infrared Spectra
Miranda Harkess
Advisor: Joseph Hora

Reveal the Imposters! RV Tauri Variable Stars Edition
Rachel Nere
Advisor: Rodolfo Montez

The Relationship Between HI Kinematics and Star Formation in the Sextans A Galaxy
Wasiim Our-Sama
Advisor: Eric Koch

Mapping Denver Air Quality Inequality with Airborne Remote Sensing Measurements of Nitrogen Dioxide
Keysha Rosado
Advisors: Caroline Nowlan and Gonzalo Gonzalez Abad

Shining Light on the Regulation of Star Formation
Alberto Chavez
Advisor: Dr. Sandro Tacchella

Analysis of the Distribution of Flare Loop Emission using Multiple Channels of SDO/AIA Observation
Carleano Libretto, Peer Mentor
Advisors: Dr. Christopher S. Moore and Ms. Crisel Suarez

A Chandra Study of NuSTAR Galactic Plane Sources
Helton Pongnon, UMASS Amherst - Major: Informatics
Advisor: Dr. Francesca Civano and Dr. Francesca Fornasini

Analyzing Molecular Emissions from the Chemically Active Outflow HH114MMS
Aditya Pothanaboyina
Advisor: Dr. Andrew Burkhardt

The Formation of Polyscylic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Combustion Systems and the Interstellar Medium
Keysha Rosado
Advisor: Dr. Jessie Porterfield

Analysis of Air Quality in Nigeria
Kachi Uwazuruonye-Anyanwu
Advisors: Dr. Caroline Nowlan and Dr. Gonzalo Gonzalez-Abad

Vacuum Windows for Radio-Astronomical Instrumentation
Elias Aguirre Contreras
Advisor: Dr. Edward Tong

Cosmological Distances for Active Galactic Nuclei Using X-ray Spectra
Erin Donovan
Advisor: Dr. Francesca Civano

Using Advanced Filtering Techniques to Make Astronomy Images Accessible
Carleano Libretto
Advisor: Dr. Henry Trae Winter

A Machine Learning Approach to Assigning Molecular Spectra: Replacing Humans with Robots
Alexander MacLeod
Advisors: Dr. Michael McCarthy and Dr. Kelvin Lee

Investigating Data Display Approaches for Public Understanding of Air Quality
Emmanuel Sekyi
Advisor: Erika Wright

Referencing Sources of Molecular Spectroscopic Data in the Era of Data Science: Application to the HITRAN Database
Frances Skinner
Advisor: Dr. Iouli Gordon

Development of a Relational Database for Smithsonian OMPS Data Products
Nassika Dabel
Advisors: Dr. Gonzalo Gonzalez Abad and Dr. Caroline Nowlan

Designing Solutions for Technology based STEM Education Projects
Edwin Dely
​Advisors: Frank Sienkiewicz and Erika Wright​ ​

X-Ray Observations of Black Holes and Galaxies
Dalton Grady
Advisor: Dr. Francesca Civano

Deployment of Ground-Based Spectrometers for Air Quality Measurements
Malcolm Gyagenda
Advisors: Dr. Gonzalo Gonzalez Abad and Dr. Caroline Nowlan

Revealing the Temperature Structure of Protostellar Cores
Alexander MacLeod
Advisors: Dr. Sarah Sadavoy and Dr. Philip Myers

Testing Spin-Up in Dwarf Carbon Stars
Fernando Mazzoni
Advisors: Dr. Rodolfo Montez Jr. and Dr. Paul Green

Testing Spin-Up in Dwarf Carbon Stars
Fernando Mazzoni
Advisor: Dr. Rodolfo Montez Jr. and Dr. Paul Green

The Magnetic Field of the Core-Forming Region Perseus B1-E
Christina Michel, Radio and Geoastronomy
Advisor: Dr. Sarah Sadavoy and Dr. Philip Myers

Investigating the Evolution of Protostellar Envelopes
Patience Namusuubo, Radio and Geoastronomy
Advisor: Dr. Ian Stephens

H2-, He- and CO2- Broadening of Spectral Lines of Major Light Absorbers in Planetary Atmospheres
Shanelle Samuels, Atomic and Molecular Physics
Advisor: Dr. Iouli Gordon

A Census of Protoplanetary Disk Sizes
Marie Terrell, Radio and Geoastronomy
Advisor: Dr. Sean Andrews

Studying Molecular Outflows from Low-Mass Protostars
Oscar De La Rosa, Radio and Geoastronomy
Advisor: Dr. Michael Dunham and Dr. Ian Stephens

The Conditions that Lead to the Ejection of Moons
Arielle Joasil, Solar, Stellar, and Planetary
Advisor: Dr. Matthew Payne

Trace Gas Emissions from Paper Mills Using Atmospheric Gas Retrievals from Spaceborne Instruments
Sarah Miller, Atomic and Molecular Physics
Advisor: Dr. Gonzalo Gonzalez Abad

WWT Android Application Project
Jasmine Oliveira, Atomic and Molecular Physics
Advisor: Dr. Michael McCarthy

Are there compact, post-starburst galaxies at z<1?
Nicholas Baeza Hochmuth, Optical and Infrared Astronomy
Advisor: Dr. Harus Jabran Zahid

The Development and Implementation of a New Model and Interface to the HITRAN Database
Lorenzo Barrett, Atomic and Molecular Physics
Dr. Laurence Rothman and Dr. Iouli Gordon

Outflow Feedback in Low-Mass Star Formation
Forest Mathieu, Radio and Geoastronomy
Dr. Michael Dunham and Dr. Philip Myers

Effective Gas Supply Required for the Formation of Stars in Stellar Clusters and Dwarf Galaxies
Victoria Souza, Institute of Theoretical
Dr. Jill Naiman