Curriculum Vitae

• Ph.D. in Astrophysical Sciences and Technology (AST) 2021
The Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY.
Advisor: Prof. Michael Zemcov.
Dissertation: The Cosmic Infrared Background ExpeRiments (CIBER): Probing Large-Scale Structure Formation Using Near-Infrared Sounding Rocket Payloads


• B.Sc. with Honors in Astronomy 2015, Magna Cum Laude
The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
Advisor: Prof. Daniel Marrone.
Thesis: Receiver Selection and Calibration Unit for Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) -- South Pole Telescope (SPT) (RESCUES).

Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate in Physics 2021 -- Present
The California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA

• Calibrate and characterize the SPHEREx telescope and focal plane assembly.
• Analyze the noise properties of H2RG detectors for CIBER-2 and SPHEREx.
• Improve the performance of CIBER-2 flight electronics and mentor graduate students working on the project.

Graduate Research Assistant 2016 - 2021, Temporary Postdoc (Summer 2021)

The Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY

• Designed, integrated, and characterized CIBER-2 payload and detectors.
• Built software to control ground equipment and livestream telemetered data.
• Developed reduction pipeline for CIBER-2 and noise models of CIBER-1.

Graduate Teaching Assistant in Physics and Astronomy Courses 2015 - 2016

The Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY

Telescope Operator 2013 Feb - 2015 May

The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

Undergraduate Research Assistant 2012 May - 2015 May

Department of Astronomy and Steward Observatory, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

• Designed a mirror mount and a calibration system for the Event Horizon Telescope station at the South Pole, as a part of the project to produce the first image of a black hole.
• Reduced exoplanet transit light curves from space/ground-based observations.
• Studied ultrasonic wave diagnostic in non-destructive structural monitoring.

• The Rochester Institute of Technology Legacy Leaders Award
• Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, 2020 - Shared with the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration
• NASA Earth and Space Sciences Fellowship, 2017 - 2020
• Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Student Award, The American Astronomical Society, 2018
• Excellence in Undergraduate Research Award for Astronomy Majors, 2015
• Galileo Circle Scholarship, 2013
• Department of Astronomy and Steward Observatory Scholarships, 2012 - 2015
• Honors College Research Grant, 2012 - 2013
• International Tuition Award, 2011 - 2015
• Dean's List, 2011 - 2014

• Analytical: Fourier analysis, time-stream and image-space reduction & calibration.
• Programming: Python, Matlab, C/C++, Qt/PyQt, GNU Bash, IDL, HTML/CSS, Unix/Linux.
• Software: SolidWorks/Autodesk Inventor; familiar with rocket telemetry data protocol.
• Experienced in designing & operating cryogenic instruments, automating hardware operation, developing lab apparatus & safety procedure, handling detectors.
• Experienced in mentoring a team of interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate students.

• AST Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Working Group, 2020 - Present
• Astronomy Ambassador, The American Astronomical Society (AAS), 2019 - Present
• RIT College of Science Student Advisory Board, 2018 - Present
• RIT Graduate Student Advisory Council, 2017 - Present (co-chair in 2018-2019)
• RIT Women in Science Volunteer, 2016 - Present
• RIT COVID-19 Community Readiness Review Committee, 2020
• 12th Great Lakes Cosmology Workshop Local Organizing Committee, 2019
• Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics Local Organizing Committee, 2017
• University of Arizona Physics Outreach Discovery Team, 2014 - 2015
• University of Arizona Astronomy Club, 2012 - 2015
• Tucson Women in Astronomy, 2012 - 2015
• Summer Engineering Workshop Volunteer, The University of Arizona, 2012 - 2014
• Global Ambassador/Peer Integrator, The University of Arizona, 2012 - 2013

• 2021: RIT University Magazine featuring CIBER-2 launch with retweet from former astronaut Buzz Aldrin (page 12 - 15) [Read more...]
• 2021: NASA press release for CIBER-2 launch [Read more...]
• 2019: RIT University News featuring CIBER-2 payload [Read more...]
• 2018: Afternoon Astronomy Hangout on New Horizons study (live chat and discussion on YouTube) [Read more...]
• 2017: Forbes article on New Horizons study [Read more...]
• 2017: Rochester Business Journal on NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship win [Read more...]
• 2017: RIT University News on NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship win [Read more...]

Invited Zoom seminars on the CIBER-2 project:

• Space Engineering International Course Guest Lecture, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan, 2021.
• Observational Cosmology Seminar, The California Institute of Technology, 2021.
• Astro/Space Seminar, University of Iowa, 2020.

• "Probing Structure Formation with the Cosmic Infrared Background ExpeRiment 2 (CIBER-2)," NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship - Astrophysics Division Forum, The 233rd Meeting of the American Astronomical Society (2019). Invited Talk.
• "Integration and Instrument Characterization of the Cosmic Infrared Background ExpeRiment 2 (CIBER-2)," SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation (2018). Poster.
• "The Science and Prospect of Astrophysical Observations with New Horizons," The 231st Meeting of the American Astronomical Society, Washington DC (2018). Poster.
• "Cosmic Background Infrared ExpeRiment 2: Probing Structure Formation with Near Infrared Fluctuations." The Fall Meeting of the Astronomical Society of New York (2017). "Oral Presentation.

• P. M. Korngut, et al. 2022, Inferred Measurements of the Zodiacal Light Absolute Intensity through Fraunhofer Absorption Line Spectroscopy with CIBER. ApJ 926(2):133
• K. Takimoto, et al. 2022, Polarization Spectrum of Near-Infrared Zodiacal Light Observed with CIBER. ApJ 926(1):6
• Y. T. Cheng, et al. 2021, Probing Intra-Halo Light with Galaxy Stacking in CIBER Images ApJ 919(2):69
• K. Takimoto, et al. 2021, Pre-flight Optical Test and Calibration for the Cosmic Infrared Background ExpeRiment 2 (CIBER-2). Proc. SPIE 114435A (2021) doi: 10.1117/12.2561917
• The Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration et al. 2019, First M87 Event Horizon Telescope Results. I. The Shadow of the Supermassive Black Hole. ApJ Letter 875
• The Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration et al. 2019, First M87 Event Horizon Telescope Results. II. Array and Instrumentation. ApJ Letter 875
• M. Zemcov, et al. 2018, Astrophysics with New Horizons: Making the Most of a Generational Opportunity. PASP, 130(993):115001
• C. Nguyen, et al. 2018, Integration and Instrument Characterization of the Cosmic Infrared Background ExpeRiment 2 (CIBER-2). Proc. SPIE 10698, 106984J, doi: 10.1117/12.2311595
• J. Kim, et al. 2018, The 1.4 mm Core of Centaurus A: First VLBI Results with the South Pole Telescope. ApJ 861(2):129
• W.-K. Park, et al. 2018, Development of Data Storage System and GSE for Cosmic Infrared Background Experiment 2 (CIBER-2). Proc. SPIE 1069849, doi: 10.1117/12.2313184
• J. Kim, et al. 2018, A VLBI Receiving System for the South Pole Telescope. Proc. SPIE 107082S, doi: 10.1117/12.2301005
• M. Zemcov, P. Immel, C. Nguyen, et al. 2017, Measurement of the Cosmic Optical Background Using the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager on New Horizons. Nat. Comm. 8, 15003, doi: 10.1038/ncomms15003