Viraj PandyaDepartment 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 INTERESTSGalaxy formation and evolution, high-redshift galaxies, gas content of local massive galaxies,intermediate-mass black holes, supernova progenitors and explosion mechanisms, automation ofdata reduction and analysis, mathematical physics

ACADEMIC POSITIONS HELD09/2014–Present Post-Baccalaureate Student, Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University06/2015–08/2015 Summer Research Student, Carnegie Observatories, Pasadena, CA03/2013–08/2014 Research Assistant with Prof. Rachel Somerville, Rutgers University01/2013–08/2014 Research Assistant with Prof. Saurabh Jha, Rutgers University05/2012–08/2013 Research Student of Prof. Roderich Tumulka, Rutgers University

EDUCATIONPost-Baccalaureate Program Astrophysics, September 2014 – Present

Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJB.A. Mathematics & Economics (Minor: Astronomy), May 2013

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ

AWARDS AND HONORS2014–2016: Full Fellowship, Post-Baccalaureate Program in Astrophysics, Princeton University2014: Full Scholarship, La Serena School for Data Science: Applied Tools for Astronomy, Chile2008: Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholar2008: Pershing LLC School to Work Scholarship

PUBLICATIONS

7. Pandya, V., Mulchaey, J. and Greene, J. A Comprehensive Archival Chandra Search forX-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 mostmassive early-type galaxies. MNRAS, 455(1):214-226 (2015).

5. Childress, M., et al. (including Pandya, V.). Measuring nickel masses in Type Ia supernovaeusing cobalt emission in nebular phase spectra. MNRAS, 454(4):3816-3842 (2015).

4. Brennan, R., Pandya, V., Somerville, R., et al. Quenching and morphological transforma-tion 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 Betweena 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 andenergetic 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 WaveFunctions. 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 Holesin 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 Amongthe 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 IMFmeasurements with molecular gas. IRAM/NOEMA, 2016, 15 hours, ID W15BT.

1. Greene, J., et al. (including Pandya, V.). X-raying the Dark in MASSIVE EllipticalGalaxies. 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, May11, 2015.

6. CANDELS and HSC+PFS: Some Mysteries of Galaxy Evolution at z > 2. Princeton Uni-versity, 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 So-ciety, Rutgers University, November 6, 2013.

2. Quantum Spin and the Thermal Equilibrium Distribution of Wave Functions. Rutgers ArestyUndergraduate Research Symposium, Rutgers University, April 19, 2013.

1. Mathematical Physics and the Quantum Realm. Rutgers Society of Physics Students, RutgersUniversity, March 13, 2013.

SCIENTIFIC POSTERS

2. Pandya, V., Jha, S., McCully, C., Patel, B., and Camacho, Y. Supernova Spectroscopywith 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 Ex-plosion Model for Type Ia Supernovae with Optical Spectroscopy from SALT. 223rd AmericanAstronomical 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 = PSNJ11574444-1010157. 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, CentralBureau Electronic Telegrams, 3635, 1, August 22, 2013

OBSERVING EXPERIENCE03/2015 IRAM 30 meter radio telescope, Granada, Spain

CO (1-0) and (2-1) observations of molecular gas in local massive elliptical galaxies

ADVISINGYssavo Camacho Rutgers University – Research Experiences for Undergraduates, Summer 2013

Supernova spectroscopy, spectroscopic data reduction, co-authored two papers and two posters

TEACHINGSpring 2015 Physics 121, Princeton Prison Teaching Initiative, East Jersey State Prison

Taught and graded multiple astrophysics labs for a class with ∼30 students

PUBLIC OUTREACHI am the Founder of the Rutgers Astronomical Society, a student-led group that unites amateurastronomers 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 in2011-2012, and I have led and contributed to numerous outreach events since.

TECHNICAL SKILLSProgramming: Python, Java, PyRAF/IRAF, Maple, IDLMiscellanea: ds9, git, CIAO (Chandra data analysis), SYN++ (supernova spectrum synthesis)

REFERENCESProf. Jenny Greene, Princeton University, (609) 258-0764, jgreene@astro.princeton.eduProf. Saurabh Jha, Rutgers University, (848) 445-8962, saurabh@physics.rutgers.eduDr. John Mulchaey, Carnegie Observatories, (626) 304-0257, mulchaey@obs.carnegiescience.eduProf. Rachel Somerville, Rutgers University, (848) 445-8964, somerville@physics.rutgers.eduProf. Michael Strauss, Princeton University, (609) 258-3808, strauss@astro.princeton.eduProf. Roderich Tumulka, Rutgers University, (848) 445-7981, tumulka@math.rutgers.edu