Characterizing the Infrared Variability of Protostars Using WISE and NEOWISE
National Radio Astronomy Observatory REU (Charlottesville, VA)
I use WISE/NEOWISE bands W1 and W2 to study the variability of scattered light nebulae associated with 63 nearby protostars. My photometry pipeline generates light curves, average-subtracted images, and animations to visualize the photometric variability of the nebulae and quantifies the variability as the total change in flux. I detect significant variability in 59/63 nebulae (where ‘significant variability’ refers to nebulae with a total change in flux > 15%).
Characterizing Systems in the Washington Double Star Catalog with Gaia DR3
Northern Arizona University REU at the US Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station (Flagstaff, AZ)
I use the precise astrometric measurements from Gaia Data Release 3 to characterize systems in the Washington Double Star Catalog as either gravitationally associated or non-associated systems.
Publication Coming Soon: (Zakarian et al. 2024, in prep)
Mentor: Stephen Williams
Observing and Analyzing Exoplanet Transits for the TESS Follow-Up Observing Program
Truman State University Observational Astronomy Research Team (Kirksville, MO)
We observe and analyze candidate exoplanet transits using National Undergraduate Reseach Observatory (NURO) telescopes in Flagstaff, AZ. We report transit data such as eclipse timing, depth, and duration, and we search for signs of variability in nearby stars to rule out false transit detections by TESS.
Mentor: Vayujeet Gokhale
Investigating Natural Dyes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Truman State University (Kirksville, MO)
Many commercial dye-sensitized solar cells use ruthenium-based dyes that are toxic and expensive. We extracted and tested natural dye alternatives from beetroot, orange peels, and African violets, characterized the dyes using UV-Visible spectroscopy, constructed laboratory level solar cells, and characterized the cells using current and voltage measurements.
