Degrees and Education

• Astrophysics Researcher, NASA/Goddard, Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, SuperTIGER
• Postdoctoral Researcher, Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, Toulouse, France, Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope
• PhD, Physics, The Ohio State University, CREAM

Affiliations

• NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Written Biography

We have seen a wonderful growth in high energy astrophysics in the recent past, from the array of X-ray missions to the launch and results of several gamma-ray missions, including Fermi, AGILE, and ground-based TeV observatories. With the range of particle and gravitational missions also underway or in planning, we have a huge potential to gain even greater insights into high energy astrophysics phenomena. Yet this stands in contrast to a possibly poor funding outlook. By joining together as a community and reaching out to funding agencies, the public, and our lower energy colleagues with a consistent statement of our exciting work, we will have the greatest impact on our future. As a member of the HEAD Executive Committee, I will work towards this goal, to promote our many advances, our promising future, and the wealth of knowledge and experience in our field.

Affiliations

• CIERA Fellow, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University

Candidate Statement

High energy astrophysics is among the most rich, diverse, and exciting fields in astronomy. Chandra, XMM, Swift, and Fermi have revolutionized our understanding of the physics driving AGN, X-ray binaries, hot plasma in clusters, supernovae, stellar coronae, and heretofore unexplored transient phenomena (to name only a few!). In recent months, NuSTAR has offered our first focused images of the Universe at energies above 10 keV. Yet even as we celebrate half a century of successful celestial high energy pursuits, we must safeguard our legacy and (re-)envision our future. Our high-impact small- and medium-class missions like Swift, Fermi and NuSTAR are well aligned with the astronomical community's priorities and imminent (likely harsh) fiscal realities, but we need unity to define and champion a next-generation legacy-class mission. More broadly, our division must engage the next generation of high energy and multiwavelength astrophysicists. Dynamic HEAD meetings, HEAD special sessions, and the high-profile Rossi, Schramm, and Dissertation prizes each play a role in this advancement, demonstrating the success and excitement of X-ray and gamma-ray astrophysics, and emphasizing the richness of the as-yet unexplored energetic Universe. I bring to the HEAD Executive Committee a deep curiosity about accretion onto (and outflow from) all types of compact objects, and a broad, multiwavelength perspective. As a junior member of the HEAD EC, I will work to engage my own generation of astronomers through exciting HEAD meetings, sessions and events aimed at early career members, an improved presence online (via Facebook, live Twitter feeds from meetings, etc.), and increased connectivity with scientists working at lower energies, and in other committees (e.g., the CSWA and the employment committee).

Affiliations

• Professor of Physics, Washington University in St. Louis

Candidate Statement

High Energy Astrophysics continues to play a key role in our endeavor to gain a first-principles understanding of the beginning and evolution of our cosmos, and to test and expand upon the fundamental laws of physics. With my experience in the design of ground-based, balloon-borne, and space-borne observatories and my interest in theoretical astrophysics (black holes, AGNs, particle astrophysics and cosmology), I would add a broad perspective to the HEAD executive committee. If elected to serve on the committee, I will work on promoting the scientific potential of high-energy astrophysics to the broader astrophysics and physics communities and on offering research and presentation opportunities to junior researchers. Furthermore, I am interested in organizing, or helping to organize, targeted topical workshops, for example about New Mission Concepts, High-Energy Astrophysics and Cosmology, Time Domain Astronomy, Computational Astrophysics, and Teaching High-Energy Astrophysics.

Professional Title/Position

Affiliations

• NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Research Areas, Topics, and Interests

• Multiwavelength studies of astrophysical sources, particularly pulsars and blazars

Professional Experience and Positions

• SAS-2, EGRET/Compton Observatory, Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT)

Candidate Statement

A key task for the Executive Committee is organizing the HEAD meetings.I would welcome the opportunity to help continue this successful series.The combination of results from ongoing missions, observations from new missions, theoretical studies, and multi-disciplinary research makes high-energy astrophysics an exciting field, and the HEAD meetings should continue to reflect the broad scope and dynamic progress of these studies.

Affiliations

• Center for Research Excellence in Space Science and Technology
• Goddard Space Flight Center and Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland

Services, Roles, and Activities

• Current (interim) Treasurer

Candidate Statement

I was appointed interim Treasurer in January this year after the previous position of Secretary-Treasurer was split. The job of the Treasurer is to monitor the Division's financial state and with the rest of the Executive Committee decide on expenditures. My aim as Treasurer will be to help make the most of our modest resources. I would also like to see the Division expand its efforts to help our younger members. I have extensive experience in X-ray astronomy, covering many missions, and much of the field depends on software which I support. Recently, I have co-edited "The Handbook of X-ray Astronomy", which is published by CUP. Outside astronomy, I am very familiar with the financial side of 501(c)(3) organizations (such as the AAS) having spent six years as treasurer of an Episcopal church with an half-million dollar annual budget.

Affiliations

• Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

Candidate Statement

I am honored to be nominated for a full term as Secretary to HEAD, and hope to both continue the work I have begun during my one-year appointment to the position and to break new ground as well. In addition to email bulletins, I want to create an interactive HEAD website includes regularly updated relevant information, such as a calendar of important dates for HEAD events and HEAD-related meetings, as well as highlights of recent high-energy science results. During the past year the Council has thought about how to more actively involve HEAD members in outreach and other efforts, and I hope to make the HEAD webpage a centerpiece for these interactions.