Viraj Pandya
Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University
4 Ivy Lane, Office 010, Princeton, New Jersey 08544
(201) 427-0479 || vgpandya@princeton.edu || http://scholar.princeton.edu/virajpandya
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Galaxy formation and evolution, high-redshift galaxies, gas content of local massive galaxies,
intermediate-mass black holes, supernova progenitors and explosion mechanisms, automation of
data reduction and analysis, mathematical physics
ACADEMIC POSITIONS HELD
09/2014–Present Post-Baccalaureate Student, Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University
06/2015–08/2015 Summer Research Student, Carnegie Observatories, Pasadena, CA
03/2013–08/2014 Research Assistant with Prof. Rachel Somerville, Rutgers University
01/2013–08/2014 Research Assistant with Prof. Saurabh Jha, Rutgers University
05/2012–08/2013 Research Student of Prof. Roderich Tumulka, Rutgers University
EDUCATION
Post-Baccalaureate Program Astrophysics, September 2014 – Present
Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
B.A. Mathematics & Economics (Minor: Astronomy), May 2013
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ
AWARDS AND HONORS
2014–2016: Full Fellowship, Post-Baccalaureate Program in Astrophysics, Princeton University
2014: Full Scholarship, La Serena School for Data Science: Applied Tools for Astronomy, Chile
2008: Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholar
2008: Pershing LLC School to Work Scholarship
PUBLICATIONS
7. Pandya, V., Mulchaey, J. and Greene, J. A Comprehensive Archival Chandra Search for
X-ray Emission from Ultracompact Dwarf Galaxies. Submitted to ApJ (2015).
6. Davis, T., Greene, J., Ma, C.-P., Pandya, V., Blakeslee, J., McConnell, N., and Thomas,
J. The MASSIVE survey - III. Molecular gas and a broken Tully-Fisher relation in the most
massive early-type galaxies. MNRAS, 455(1):214-226 (2015).
5. Childress, M., et al. (including Pandya, V.). Measuring nickel masses in Type Ia supernovae
using cobalt emission in nebular phase spectra. MNRAS, 454(4):3816-3842 (2015).
4. Brennan, R., Pandya, V., Somerville, R., et al. Quenching and morphological transformation in semi-analytic models and CANDELS. MNRAS, 451(3):2933-2956 (2015).
3. Marion, G., et al. (including Pandya, V.). SN 2012cg: Evidence for Interaction Between
a Normal Type Ia Supernova and a Non-Degenerate Binary Companion. Submitted to ApJ
(2015).
2. Stritzinger, M., et al. (including Pandya, V.). Comprehensive observations of the bright and
energetic Type Iax SN 2012Z: Interpretation as a Chandrasekhar mass white dwarf explosion.
A&A, 573:A2 (2015).
1. Pandya, V. and Tumulka, R. Spin and the Thermal Equilibrium Distribution of Wave
Functions. Journal of Statistical Physics, 154(1):491-502 (2014).
OBSERVING PROPOSALS
4. Pandya, V., Mulchaey, J., and Greene, J. The JVLA View of Central Accreting Black Holes
in Ultracompact Dwarf Galaxies. Jansky Very Large Array, 2016, 3 hours, ID 16A-382.
3. Nyland, K., et al. (including Pandya, V.). A Complete Census of Nuclear Activity Among
the Most Massive Nearby Galaxies. Jansky Very Large Array, 2016, 16 hours, ID 16A-291.
2. Davis, T., et al. (including Pandya, V.). Gas in MASSIVE Galaxies: Dynamical IMF
measurements with molecular gas. IRAM/NOEMA, 2016, 15 hours, ID W15BT.
1. Greene, J., et al. (including Pandya, V.). X-raying the Dark in MASSIVE Elliptical
Galaxies. Chandra Observatory, Cycle 17 (2015), submitted
SCIENTIFIC TALKS
9. The Chandra X-ray Search for Accreting Central Black Holes in Ultracompact Dwarf Galaxies.
Carnegie Observatories, Pasadena, August 28, 2015.
8. The Nature of the First Transition Galaxies. University of California at Santa Cruz, July 8,
2015.
7. The Existence and Nature of Gas in MASSIVE Elliptical Galaxies. Rutgers University, May
11, 2015.
6. CANDELS and HSC+PFS: Some Mysteries of Galaxy Evolution at z > 2. Princeton University, April 23, 2015.
5. The Nature of Transition Galaxies. Space Telescope Science Institute, July 31, 2014.
4. The Nature of Transition Galaxies: A CANDELS Preview. Princeton University, May 7,
2014.
3. Supernova Spectroscopy: Studying the Light of Exploding Stars. Rutgers Astronomical Society, Rutgers University, November 6, 2013.
2. Quantum Spin and the Thermal Equilibrium Distribution of Wave Functions. Rutgers Aresty
Undergraduate Research Symposium, Rutgers University, April 19, 2013.
1. Mathematical Physics and the Quantum Realm. Rutgers Society of Physics Students, Rutgers
University, March 13, 2013.
SCIENTIFIC POSTERS
2. Pandya, V., Jha, S., McCully, C., Patel, B., and Camacho, Y. Supernova Spectroscopy
with the Southern African Large Telescope. 223rd American Astronomical Society Meeting,
January 5-9, 2014.
1. Camacho, Y., Pandya, V., McCully, C., Patel, B., and Jha, S. Testing an Asymmetric Explosion Model for Type Ia Supernovae with Optical Spectroscopy from SALT. 223rd American
Astronomical Society Meeting, January 5-9, 2014.
ASTRONOMICAL CIRCULARS
4. Jha, S. W., Pandya, V., et al. SALT Spectroscopy of ASASSN-14db: a type I supernova.
The Astronomer’s Telegram, 6271, June 25, 2014
3. Howerton, S., et al. (including Pandya, V.). Supernova 2014ad in Markarian 1309 = PSN
J11574444-1010157. Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams, 3831, 1, March 20, 2014
2. Jha, S. W., Pandya, V., et al. SALT Spectroscopy of PSN J06120295-2149353 in NGC 2196:
Uncertain Classification. The Astronomer’s Telegram, 5783, January 21, 2014
1. Brimacombe, J., et al. (including Pandya, V.). Supernova 2013ex in NGC 1954, Central
Bureau Electronic Telegrams, 3635, 1, August 22, 2013
OBSERVING EXPERIENCE
03/2015 IRAM 30 meter radio telescope, Granada, Spain
CO (1-0) and (2-1) observations of molecular gas in local massive elliptical galaxies
ADVISING
Yssavo Camacho Rutgers University – Research Experiences for Undergraduates, Summer 2013
Supernova spectroscopy, spectroscopic data reduction, co-authored two papers and two posters
TEACHING
Spring 2015 Physics 121, Princeton Prison Teaching Initiative, East Jersey State Prison
Taught and graded multiple astrophysics labs for a class with ∼30 students
PUBLIC OUTREACH
I am the Founder of the Rutgers Astronomical Society, a student-led group that unites amateur
astronomers at and beyond Rutgers University to promote the public understanding of science.
I secured more than $6,500 in funding for new telescopes and astronomy outreach programs in
2011-2012, and I have led and contributed to numerous outreach events since.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
Programming: Python, Java, PyRAF/IRAF, Maple, IDL
Miscellanea: ds9, git, CIAO (Chandra data analysis), SYN++ (supernova spectrum synthesis)
REFERENCES
Prof. Jenny Greene, Princeton University, (609) 258-0764, jgreene@astro.princeton.edu
Prof. Saurabh Jha, Rutgers University, (848) 445-8962, saurabh@physics.rutgers.edu
Dr. John Mulchaey, Carnegie Observatories, (626) 304-0257, mulchaey@obs.carnegiescience.edu
Prof. Rachel Somerville, Rutgers University, (848) 445-8964, somerville@physics.rutgers.edu
Prof. Michael Strauss, Princeton University, (609) 258-3808, strauss@astro.princeton.edu
Prof. Roderich Tumulka, Rutgers University, (848) 445-7981, tumulka@math.rutgers.edu