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Center for Multimessenger Astrophysics

Center for Multimessenger Astrophysics

The Center for Multimessenger Astrophysics (Formerly Center for Particle and Gravitational Astrophysics) is engaged in a bold synergistic approach to understanding high energy processes in the universe. Our faculty at Penn State are prominent participants in eight major international projects which make observations using extremely high energy protons and nuclei, neutrinos, gamma-rays, X-rays and gravitational waves. These projects are, respectively, the Pierre Auger Cosmic Ray Observatory, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, the Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Explorer satellite, the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the XMM-Newton X-ray Observatory, the Laser Interferometric Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO), the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational-waves (NANOGrav) and the High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) TeV gamma-ray detector.

Our faculty are also involved in developing instrumentation for future facilities such as the International X-ray Observatory, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) and a major ESA flagship mission, the X-ray observatory Athena. There is also ongoing work with the Fermi satellite, the VERITAS high energy gamma ray observatory, the Cosmic Ray Energetics and Mass (CREAM), including a version to deploy on the International Space Station (ISS-CREAM), the High Energy Light Isotope eXperiment (HELIX) high-altitude balloon, and in the former Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) project, now called NGO.

Penn State is one of only a small handful of U.S. institutions participating in both Auger and IceCube, the premier ground-based projects of high energy particle astrophysics. Potentially observable sources for both Auger and IceCube include super-massive black holes at the center of active galaxies, and the explosive phenomena that give rise to gamma ray bursts (GRBs). Some GRBs are believed to be especially violent supernova explosions, while others are probably mergers of collapsed stars in binary systems.

The Swift GRB Explorer satellite is presently providing the best gamma ray and X-ray observations of GRB explosions. Swift has been successfully operating for a number of years, its mission control center being at Penn State. Chandra and XMM have been successfully operating for over a decade and are leading to substantial advances in understanding the demography, physics, and ecology of supermassive and stellar mass black holes, active galaxies and supernovae. The Advanced LIGO (aLIGO) gravitational wave detector has chalked up its first major success in making the first direct detection of gravitational waves, originating from 60 solar mass black hole binary system.

Commensurate with these significant experimental efforts, Penn State also plays a leading role in the theoretical and numerical modeling of fundamental high energy interactions as well as astrophysical phenomena such as black holes, gamma-ray bursts, the high energy Universe and the formation of the first objects and large scale structures in the Universe.

GRBs, and the mergers of super-massive black holes in the cores of galaxies and quasars are also likely sources of detectable gravitational waves. Our Center is engaged in observing GRBs, active galaxies, supernovae and clusters of galaxies, looking for strong-interaction protons and nuclei, weak-interaction neutrinos, electromagnetic radiation, and gravitational waves. Together we cover all four forces of nature. We have initiated and lead a specific multi-messenger observational program called the Astrophysical Multimessenger Observatory Network (AMON), which aims to utilize all four forces to detect sub-threshold signals from the above described cosmic sources. This multi-force approach to high energy astrophysics is a pioneering venture in which the one-dimensional electromagnetic spectrum of conventional astronomy is supplemented with three other windows to the Universe. The discovery potential is enormous.

Together with the Center for Fundamental Theory, the Center for Theoretical and Observational Cosmology and the Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos, the synergy between our various specialties and the breadth of knowledge to be gained through collaborations provide exciting prospects for making breakthroughs in our understanding of the Cosmos.

Name Role Affiliations Email Phone Office Centers Research topics
Unnati Akhouri Unnati Akhouri Graduate Student Physics uja5020@psu.edu 321 Whitmore Laboratory CMA Black Holes
Julien Alfaro Julien Alfaro Graduate Student Physics jpa5771@psu.edu +1 814 865 7533 204 Osmond Laboratory CMA, IGC Cosmic Rays, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
Heather Allen Heather Allen Graduate Student Physics heather.allen@psu.edu --- 204 Osmond Laboratory CMA, IGC Cosmic Rays, Multimessenger Astrophysics
Tyler Anderson Tyler Anderson Faculty Physics tba109@psu.edu +1 814 865 2013 212A Osmond Laboratory CMA Cosmic Rays, Dark Matter, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
Abhay Ashtekar Abhay Ashtekar Faculty ava1@psu.edu +1 814 863 9601 316 Whitmore Laboratory CFT, CMA, CTOC Physical Mathematics
Hugo Alberto Ayala Solares Hugo Alberto Ayala Solares Faculty Physics hgayala@psu.edu +1 814 863 7533 206A Osmond Laboratory CMA, IGC Multimessenger Astrophysics
Srinikitha Bhagvati Srinikitha Bhagvati Graduate Student Physics skb6413@psu.edu 108 Osmond Laboratory CMA Dark Matter
Mukul Bhattacharya Mukul Bhattacharya Postdoc Astronomy, Physics mmb5946@psu.edu 320A Osmond Laboratory CMA Cosmic Rays, Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
Maitraya Bhattacharyya Maitraya Bhattacharyya Postdoc Physics mbb6217@psu.edu +1 814 863 9605 314 Whitmore Laboratory CMA Black Holes, Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics
Carlos Blanco Carlos Blanco Faculty ICDS, Physics carlosblanco@psu.edu +1 814 865 7533 303K Osmond Laboratory CFT, CMA, CTOC, IGC Cosmic Rays, Dark Matter, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
Carmen Carmona Benitez Carmen Carmona Benitez Faculty Physics mzc267@psu.edu +1 814 865 6476 320D Osmond Laboratory CMA Dark Matter, Neutrinos
Jose Carpio Dumler Jose Carpio Dumler Graduate Student Physics jac866@psu.edu +1 814 865 7533 CMA Dark Matter, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
Yu Chen Yu Chen Graduate Student Physics yuc357@psu.edu 205 Osmond Laboratory CMA Cosmic Rays
Yen-Ting Chin Yen-Ting Chin Graduate Student Physics ypc5402@psu.edu 18144248968 Osmond Laboratory CMA Dark Matter
Robin Ciardullo Robin Ciardullo Faculty Astronomy rbc3@psu.edu +1 814 865 6601 525 Davey Laboratory CMA, CTOC Cosmic Surveys
Joseph Colosimo Joseph Colosimo Graduate Student Astronomy jmc1221@psu.edu 1-814-865-0150 413 Davey Laboratory CMA Astroinformatics, Quasars
Stephane Coutu Stephane Coutu Faculty Astronomy, Physics sxc56@psu.edu +1 814 865 2015 303H Osmond Laboratory CMA Cosmic Rays, Multimessenger Astrophysics
Douglas Cowen Douglas Cowen Faculty Physics dfc13@psu.edu +1 814 863 5943 303D Osmond Laboratory CMA Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos, Dynamic Universe
Austin Cummings Austin Cummings Postdoc alc6658@psu.edu Whitmore Laboratory CMA
Viviana Cáceres Viviana Cáceres Graduate Student Physics vac5288@psu.edu 7872344444 317 Whitmore Laboratory CMA Gravitational Waves
Abhishek Das Abhishek Das Graduate Student Astronomy, ICDS, Physics ajd6518@psu.edu 321E Thomas Building CMA, IGC Black Holes, Cosmic Rays, Dark Matter, Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos, Quasars
Kayla DeHolton Kayla DeHolton Postdoc Physics kld5938@psu.edu 303A Osmond Laboratory CMA Neutrinos
James DeLaunay James DeLaunay Faculty Astronomy jjd330@psu.edu +1 814 865 6834 520 Davey Laboratory CMA
Michael Eracleous Michael Eracleous Faculty Astronomy mxe17@psu.edu +1 814 863 6041 414 Davey Laboratory CMA, CTOC Black Holes, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Quasars, Dynamic Universe
Abe Falcone Abe Falcone Faculty Astronomy adf15@psu.edu +1 814 863 5364 516 Davey Laboratory CMA Cosmic Rays, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Quasars, Dynamic Universe
Jacob Fields Jacob Fields Graduate Student Physics jmf6719@psu.edu 321E Whitmore Laboratory CMA Black Holes, Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics
Zoltan Fodor Zoltan Fodor Faculty Physics zxf5098@psu.edu +1 814 865 7533 336 Davey Laboratory CFT, CMA
Derek Fox Derek Fox Faculty Astronomy dbf11@psu.edu +1 814 863 4989 425 Davey Laboratory CMA, CTOC Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos, Dynamic Universe
Reagen Garcia Reagen Garcia Graduate Student Physics rgarcia@psu.edu --- 114 Osmond Laboratory CMA Neutrinos
Caryl Gronwall Caryl Gronwall Faculty Astronomy cag18@psu.edu +1 814 865 2918 417B Davey Laboratory CMA, CTOC Astrostatistics, Cosmic Surveys
Chad Hanna Chad Hanna Faculty Astronomy, ICDS, Physics crh184@psu.edu +1 814 865 2924 303 Whitmore Laboratory CMA Black Holes, Dark Matter, Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics
Yu Jiang Yu Jiang Faculty Physics yuj119@psu.edu +1 814 863 0871 Whitmore Laboratory CMA Cosmic Rays, Multimessenger Astrophysics
Amanpreet Kaur Amanpreet Kaur Faculty Astronomy auk971@psu.edu +1 814 863 9341 CMA Astroinformatics, Dynamic Universe
Stephen Kerby Stephen Kerby Graduate Student Astronomy sek289@psu.edu 532C Davey Laboratory CMA Quasars
Sanika Khadkikar Sanika Khadkikar Graduate Student ICDS, Physics sbk6031@psu.edu 317 Whitmore Laboratory CMA Multimessenger Astrophysics
Ali Kheirandish Ali Kheirandish Graduate Student Physics abk5717@psu.edu +1 814 865 7533 Davey Laboratory CMA Dark Matter, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
Chloe Klare Chloe Klare Graduate Student chloe.klare@psu.edu 445a Davey Laboratory CFT, CMA, IGC
Ryan Krebs Ryan Krebs Graduate Student Physics rjk5416@psu.edu (814) 865-7533 322 Osmond Laboratory CMA, IGC Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
Yuexing Li Yuexing Li Faculty Astronomy yul20@psu.edu +1 814 867 2291 417A Davey Laboratory CMA, CTOC Astroinformatics, Black Holes, Multimessenger Astrophysics
Irina Mocioiu Irina Mocioiu Faculty Physics ium4@psu.edu +1 814 865 3721 320G Osmond Laboratory CMA Neutrinos
Samuel Adam Isaac Mognet Samuel Adam Isaac Mognet Faculty Physics sam378@psu.edu +1 814 865 6107 206E Osmond Laboratory CMA Cosmic Rays, Dark Matter
Niana Mohammed Niana Mohammed Graduate Student Astronomy nnm5189@psu.edu +1 814 865 0419 537 Davey Laboratory Davey Laboratory CMA, CTOC Black Holes, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Quasars
Mainak Mukhopadhyay Mainak Mukhopadhyay Postdoc Astronomy, Physics mkm7190@psu.edu 320L Osmond Laboratory CMA Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
Kohta Murase Kohta Murase Faculty Astronomy, Physics kum26@psu.edu +1 814 863 9594 321B Osmond Laboratory CMA Cosmic Rays, Dark Matter, Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
Peter Mészáros Peter Mészáros Faculty Astronomy, Physics nnp@psu.edu 814-863-4167 504 Davey Laboratory CMA Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
Mary Ogborn Mary Ogborn Graduate Student Astronomy mko5309@psu.edu 8148637111 8148637111 Davey Laboratory CMA, CTOC Black Holes, Quasars
Surendra Padamata Surendra Padamata Graduate Student Physics ssp5361@psu.edu 322 Osmond Laboratory CMA Black Holes, Cosmic Rays, Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
George Pavlov George Pavlov Faculty Astronomy ggp1@psu.edu +1 814 865 9482 508B Davey Laboratory CMA Quasars, Dynamic Universe
Cort Posnansky Cort Posnansky Graduate Student Physics clp5773@psu.edu +1 814 863 9605 334 Whitmore Laboratory CMA Black Holes, Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics
David Radice David Radice Faculty Astronomy, Physics dur566@psu.edu +1 814 865 7533 304 Whitmore Laboratory CMA Black Holes, Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
B.S. Sathyaprakash B.S. Sathyaprakash Faculty Astronomy, Physics bss25@psu.edu 312 Whitmore Laboratory CMA, CTOC Black Holes, Dark Matter, Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics
Steinn Sigurdsson Steinn Sigurdsson Faculty Astronomy sxs540@psu.edu +1 814 863 6038 426 Davey Laboratory CMA Black Holes, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
Mark Strikman Mark Strikman Faculty Physics mxs43@psu.edu 303B Whitmore Laboratory CMA
Ron Tapia Ron Tapia Staff Physics rdt12@psu.edu +1 814 867 6091 334C Whitmore Laboratory CMA
Stephanie Wissel Stephanie Wissel Faculty Astronomy, Physics wissel@psu.edu +1 814 863 9598 303B Osmond Laboratory CFT, CMA, CTOC Cosmic Rays, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
Seonghyeon Yu Seonghyeon Yu Graduate Student Physics sjy5345@psu.edu --- 204 Osmond Laboratory CMA Cosmic Rays
Chengchao Yuan Chengchao Yuan Graduate Student Physics cxy52@psu.edu +1 814 865 0153 CMA Cosmic Rays, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
Andrew Zeolla Andrew Zeolla Graduate Student Physics avz5228@psu.edu 7138709006 204 Osmond Laboratory CMA Cosmic Rays, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
Andrew Ziegler Andrew Ziegler Graduate Student Physics ziegler@psu.edu 6E Osmond Laboratory CMA Neutrinos
Luiz de Viveiros Luiz de Viveiros Faculty Physics lad57@psu.edu +1 814 865 7533 320E Osmond Laboratory CMA Dark Matter, Neutrinos
Name Role Affiliations Email Phone Office Centers Research topics
Sydney Chamberlin Sydney Chamberlin Postdoc Physics smc6287@psu.edu CMA Black Holes, Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics
Valentin Decoene Valentin Decoene Postdoc Physics vxd5110@psu.edu +1 814 865 7533 320L Osmond Laboratory CMA, IGC Cosmic Rays, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
Becca Ewing Becca Ewing Faculty Physics ree55@psu.edu 301 Whitmore Laboratory CMA, IGC Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics
Daniel George Daniel George Undergraduate Student Physics dyg5236@psu.edu CMA Black Holes, Gravitational Waves
Viktoriya Giryanskaya Viktoriya Giryanskaya Faculty Physics vzg5138@psu.edu +1 814 865 7533 305 Whitmore Laboratory CMA
Patrick Godwin Patrick Godwin Staff Physics patrick.godwin@ligo.org CMA Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics
Anuradha Gupta Anuradha Gupta Postdoc Physics axg645@psu.edu CMA Black Holes, Gravitational Waves
Collin Heckman Collin Heckman Graduate Student Astronomy cmh424@psu.edu CMA Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics
Kaeli Hughes Kaeli Hughes Postdoc Astronomy, Physics kaeli@psu.edu +1 6142906343 N/A Davey Laboratory CMA Cosmic Rays, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
Daniel Kodroff Daniel Kodroff Graduate Student Physics dsk192@psu.edu 0000000000 Basement Osmond Laboratory CMA Dark Matter, Neutrinos
Daniel LaRocca Daniel LaRocca Faculty Astronomy dml6156@psu.edu CMA Dark Matter, Dynamic Universe
Ryan Magee Ryan Magee Graduate Student Physics rzm50@psu.edu CMA Black Holes, Dark Matter, Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics
Fe McBride Fe McBride Postdoc Astronomy Felicia.McBride@psu.edu +1 814 865 8484 417A Davey Laboratory CMA, IGC
Phoebe McClincy Phoebe McClincy Graduate Student Astronomy pkm5220@psu.edu CMA Dark Matter, Gravitational Waves
Cody Messick Cody Messick Graduate Student Physics ccm188@psu.edu CMA Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics
Miguel Mostafa Miguel Mostafa Faculty Astronomy, Physics mam1264@psu.edu +1 814 863 8252 517 Whitmore Laboratory CMA Multimessenger Astrophysics
Debnandini Mukherjee Debnandini Mukherjee Postdoc Physics Debnandini.Mukherjee@ligo.org CMA Black Holes, Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics
Marco Muzio Marco Muzio Faculty Astronomy, Physics msm6428@psu.edu 322 Whitmore Laboratory CMA Cosmic Rays, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
Aviral Prakash Aviral Prakash Graduate Student Astronomy, ICDS, Physics aup1075@psu.edu 317 Whitmore Laboratory CMA Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Neutrinos
Samuele Ronchini Samuele Ronchini Postdoc Astronomy sjs8171@psu.edu 8148657705 IV Building CMA, IGC Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics
Surabhi Sachdev Surabhi Sachdev Postdoc Physics szs1416@psu.edu CMA Black Holes, Gravitational Waves, Multimessenger Astrophysics
Javed Rana Sk Javed Rana Sk Postdoc Physics javed.sk@ligo.org CMA Multimessenger Astrophysics
About our wordmark
Monica Rincon Ramirez

The IGC wordmark was created by Monica Rincon Ramirez while she was a graduate student at the Institute. Monica enjoys drawing new connections between fundamental theory and observations. Her graduate work included general relativity, loop quantum gravity, and quantum fields in cosmological backgrounds; her thesis focused on effective quantum corrections to gravitational phenomena from spinfoams and applications to cosmology. She received her PhD in 2024.

The wordmark symbolizes the scope of research at the IGC. The base represents quantum gravity, evoking the quantum geometrical picture from spinfoams and loop quantum gravity — approaches studied at the Center for Fundamental Theory. The middle shows galaxies embedded in a smooth surface characteristic of spacetime in general relativity and the larger physical scales studied at the Center for Theoretical and Observational Cosmology. The top curves to an extreme representing a supermassive black hole accompanied by an energetic jet, with a binary black hole pair nearby — the high-energy phenomena studied at the Center for Multimessenger Astrophysics.