Hi, welocme! I am a final-year Ph.D. candidate in Astronomy at the Institute of Astronomy and Planetary Science (INCT), University of Atacama, Chile, and currently a Visiting Researcher at NSF NOIRLab, Tucson, Arizona. My research focuses on understanding the structure, stellar populations, and evolution of the Milky Way, the Magellanic Clouds, and nearby dwarf galaxies through observations from modern wide-field astronomical surveys. I combine observational astronomy with data science, statistical inference, and machine learning to study galaxies and stellar populations across a wide range of scales.
My work primarily utilizes data from large photometric and spectroscopic surveys, including S-PLUS, Gaia, VVV/VVVX, OGLE, APOGEE, GALAH, LAMOST, and DESI. These are complemented by my own PI-led observing programs using facilities such as the Gemini Observatory, T80 South Telescope, and the Himalayan Chandra Telescope. I develop automated pipelines capable of processing millions of astronomical sources to derive physical parameters, identify rare stellar populations, and discover faint nearby dwarf galaxies.
My research lies at the intersection of astronomy, statistics, and scientific computing. I enjoy building scalable, reproducible tools that transform large astronomical datasets into meaningful scientific discoveries.
Career Highlights
- Ph.D. Candidate in Astronomy, University of Atacama, Chile
- Visiting Researcher, NSF NOIRLab, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- PI & Co-I of 115 hours+ of awarded telescope time
- Research spanning the Milky Way, the Magellanic Clouds, and nearby dwarf galaxies
- Extensive experience with Gaia, DESI, S-PLUS, VVV/VVVX, OGLE, APOGEE, GALAH, and LAMOST
- Developing machine-learning methods for stellar populations and dwarf-galaxy discovery
Research Interests
Galactic Structure and Stellar Populations • Magellanic Clouds and Nearby Dwarf Galaxies • Variable Stars (Cepheids and RR Lyrae) • Time-Domain Astronomy • Large Astronomical Surveys • Machine Learning for Astronomy • Astrostatistics • Scientific Tools/Software Development
..on a personal note
I was born and raised in Assam, India, a state in northeastern India known for its lush landscapes, tea gardens, remarkable biodiversity, and the mighty Brahmaputra River. Growing up in this environment nurtured my curiosity about nature, which gradually evolved into a fascination with astronomy and the physical universe.
Outside research, I enjoy distance running, cricket, programming, and discussions on mathematics, philosophy, and spirituality. Earlier in life, I spent many years painting, and creating digital art. Although research now occupies most of my time, I continue to value creativity as an important part of scientific thinking and problem solving.
I am always interested in collaborations involving astronomy, data science, machine learning, and scientific computing. If you would like to discuss research, explore potential collaborations, or simply connect, feel free to contact me at debasish.academic@gmail.com.