Research Group
Current Members
Hitesh Das
Postdoctoral Researcher
Alex Pendris
PhD Student
Maëlle Magnan
PhD Student
Leela Elliott
Post-bac Researcher
Sohum Udani
Undergrad Student
Tiegan Powell
Undergrad Student
Former Members
- Brent Tan (Postdoctoral Researcher)
- Nana Ama Darpaah (MS Student)
- Lillian Shi (Undergrad Student)
Research Areas
Our group focuses on:
- Multiphase gas dynamics in galaxies
- Magnetized turbulence and cosmic ray transport
- Circumgalactic and intergalactic media
- Galactic winds and feedback processes
- Numerical simulations and theoretical modeling
Opportunities
Joining the Group
I am not currently recruiting new graduate students or funding new postdoctoral positions. I would be happy to host prize postdoctoral fellows with their own fellowship funding. There are also several routes for NYU undergraduates and external students to get involved in research.
Fellowship names, eligibility rules, and deadlines change regularly, so always check the current call on the official program page before applying.
Contact: dbf233@nyu.edu
Graduate Students
Graduate Study and Fellowships
I am not currently recruiting any new graduate students. For general information about graduate study at NYU, see the NYU Physics Ph.D. program.
External funding opportunities worth checking include the NY Space Grant Student Support Fellowship, the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program, NASA graduate opportunities such as FINESST, and the DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Postdoctoral Fellowships
I am not currently funding new postdoctoral positions, but I would be happy to host prize postdoctoral fellows with their own fellowship funding. Please get in touch if you are interested in applying for a fellowship to work with me. Fellowship programs and broader postdoctoral opportunities include:
- NASA Hubble Fellowship Program (the umbrella program for the Einstein, Hubble, and Sagan Fellowships)
- NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships
- NASA Postdoctoral Program
- Brinson Prize Fellowship Program
- Simons Society of Fellows
- Canada Postdoctoral Research Award for applicants using the Canadian federal postdoctoral system
- AAS Job Register for broader astronomy and astrophysics postdoc searches
Undergraduate Students
Research and Summer Programs
NYU undergraduates: The main routes into research with me are NYU's Summer Undergraduate Research Incubator (SURI), the Dean's Undergraduate Research Fund (DURF), and senior thesis projects. If you are interested in working with me, send a short note describing your background and interests.
Students looking for summer research programs: Good places to start include the NSF REU site directory, the AAS internships and summer jobs page, NASA learner opportunities and internships, Caltech SURF, STScI's Space Astronomy Summer Program, and Harvard CfA's SPARK. Eligibility varies by program, especially for citizenship and visa requirements.
Group Policies
Communication Philosophy
Core promise: I promise to be open and honest with you, and to listen with the same openness and respect to whatever you want to share with me.
If something isn't working - work quality, pace, or communication - I'll say so directly and respectfully. I won't let concerns sit unspoken.
You don't need to read between the lines. If I haven't raised an issue, you can assume we're fine.
Reach out whenever you need - email or Slack as often as you like with questions, ideas, or updates. If we need to tune the cadence or ask for more prep before a message, I'll tell you.
This goes both ways. If you don't like something I'm doing, if my approach doesn't work for you, if something I or someone else did made you uncomfortable - or you're bored, stuck, or just found something funny - tell me. I'll listen with openness, honesty, and no judgment.
The goal is a safe, clear, trusting working relationship so we can focus on doing good science together.