Peter Brown
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- School: Texas A&M University
- Campus: College Station
- Department: Astronomy
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College Station, TX - Dates at Texas A&M University: -
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Biography
Texas A&M University College Station - Astronomy
Astronomer at Texas A&M University - Time-Domain Astrophysics - Observational Cosmology - Mentoring - Engaged Learning
Higher Education
Peter
Brown
College Station, Texas
I am a Research Scientist at the Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy at Texas A&M University and an award-winning mentor of undergraduate student researchers. I specialize in Ultraviolet observations of Supernovae, particularly with the Ultra-Violet/Optical Telescope on the Swift spacecraft. I am also interested in their host galaxy and progenitor system properties, in particular the impact they might have on using Type Ia supernovae as standard candles to measure the size and evolution of the universe. I have lead a NASA-funded project to create a UV database of the 200+ Supernovae observed by Swift as well as multiple Swift and Hubble Space Telescope observing programs, with grants totaling more than $1.1 Million. I am currently leading a Swift Key Project to observe young supernovae with Swift while looking for a tenure-track faculty position in which I can pursue my research with a team of bright students.
Experience
Texas A&M University
Visiting Assistant Professor
Taught "Basic Astronomy" ASTR101 to a class of 104 students
using The Essential Cosmic Perspective with Pearson online homework
along with self-made observing and self-reflection projects.Texas A&M University
Astronomer - Research Scientist
PI leading several projects externally-funded by NASA through Astrophysics Data Analysis Program, Swift, and the Hubble Space Telescope.
Award-winning mentor of undergraduate and graduate students
Collaborating with awesome astronomers around the world.Texas A&M University
ASTR111 Lab Coordinator
Teach the teachers -- namely, training the graduate student instructors who teach the astronomy labs
Be the institutional memory of what has worked or not worked in the past
Edit and update lab manual and have it printed for the studentsTexas A&M University
Postdoctoral Researcher
Awarded 3 year NASA Astrophysics Data Analysis Program grant
Principal Investigator of a Swift Cycle 9 Guest Investigator (GI) program studying SNe Ia in the nearby Hubble flow with Swift and Carnegie Supernova Project
Led Hobby-Eberly Telescope Observations of Dark Energy Survey Supernovae
Mentor graduate studentsPenn State
Graduate Student
Worked on Swift satellite operations team as a science planner. Led an international team of scientists in selecting and observing supernova targets with Swift. Worked on Swift's Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope instrument team assisting with calibration, testing software tools, creating more efficient observing modes.
Taught introductory astronomy lab lectures and was responsible for grade assignments.
Participated in outreach events such as Astrofest. Spoke at international conferences.University of Utah
Postdoctoral Researcher
Assisted with instrument commissioning for SDSS-III/BOSS
Analyzed BOSS spectra of SDSS SN host galaxies
Co-mentored graduate student Matt Olmstead on SDSS-III host galaxy project
Coordinated UV observations of Supernovae with Swift
Principal Investigator on two successful Swift GI grants to study correlations between UV properties of SNe Ia and their host galaxies
Education
Brigham Young University
Bachelor of Science
Physics and Astronomy
Took classes in physics and astronomy and then became a teaching assistant for both, including leading student observations with the rooftop telescope. Initiated an observing project to observe gamma ray burst afterglows with the 16" telescope which successfully observed GRB030329. This project was written up as my senior thesis. I participated actively in the traditions of BYU as a member of the Intercollegiate Knights. Activities included lighting the Y and guarding it overnight, patrolling campus during rival week, polishing and ringing the victory bell. I served in various local positions and as the last national president of Intercollegiate Knights.Penn State University
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Worked on Swift satellite operations team as a science planner. Led an international team of scientists in selecting and observing supernova targets with Swift. Worked on Swift's Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope instrument team assisting with calibration, testing software tools, creating more efficient observing modes. Taught introductory astronomy lab lectures and was responsible for grade assignments. Participated in outreach events such as Astrofest. Spoke at international conferences.Penn State
Graduate Student
Worked on Swift satellite operations team as a science planner. Led an international team of scientists in selecting and observing supernova targets with Swift. Worked on Swift's Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope instrument team assisting with calibration, testing software tools, creating more efficient observing modes. Taught introductory astronomy lab lectures and was responsible for grade assignments. Participated in outreach events such as Astrofest. Spoke at international conferences.
Publications
A Swift Look at SN 2011fe: The Earliest Ultraviolet Observations of a Type Ia Supernova
Astrophysical Journal
When a supernova goes off in a galaxy pretty enough to be your first light image, you drop your current projects and study it instead.
A Swift Look at SN 2011fe: The Earliest Ultraviolet Observations of a Type Ia Supernova
Astrophysical Journal
When a supernova goes off in a galaxy pretty enough to be your first light image, you drop your current projects and study it instead.
The Ultraviolet Brightest Type Ia Supernova 2011de
Astrophysical Journal Letters
SN2011de was brighter than the super-Chandrasekhar mass candidates, but with high velocities which is not expected for a larger binding energy. Is this a new class of type Ia supernovae which are overluminous in the ultraviolet?
A Swift Look at SN 2011fe: The Earliest Ultraviolet Observations of a Type Ia Supernova
Astrophysical Journal
When a supernova goes off in a galaxy pretty enough to be your first light image, you drop your current projects and study it instead.
The Ultraviolet Brightest Type Ia Supernova 2011de
Astrophysical Journal Letters
SN2011de was brighter than the super-Chandrasekhar mass candidates, but with high velocities which is not expected for a larger binding energy. Is this a new class of type Ia supernovae which are overluminous in the ultraviolet?
Swift Ultraviolet Observations of Supernova 2014J in M82: Large Extinction from Interstellar Dust
Astrophysical Journal
The nearest type Ia supernova in decades was bright enough to require special modes in the optical but extinguished enough to require extra long observations in the ultraviolet. Nevertheless, our observations show that SN2014J did indeed have a peculiar extinction law but doesn't match expectations from circumstellar scattering. It could be the dust is just wierd.
A Swift Look at SN 2011fe: The Earliest Ultraviolet Observations of a Type Ia Supernova
Astrophysical Journal
When a supernova goes off in a galaxy pretty enough to be your first light image, you drop your current projects and study it instead.
The Ultraviolet Brightest Type Ia Supernova 2011de
Astrophysical Journal Letters
SN2011de was brighter than the super-Chandrasekhar mass candidates, but with high velocities which is not expected for a larger binding energy. Is this a new class of type Ia supernovae which are overluminous in the ultraviolet?
Swift Ultraviolet Observations of Supernova 2014J in M82: Large Extinction from Interstellar Dust
Astrophysical Journal
The nearest type Ia supernova in decades was bright enough to require special modes in the optical but extinguished enough to require extra long observations in the ultraviolet. Nevertheless, our observations show that SN2014J did indeed have a peculiar extinction law but doesn't match expectations from circumstellar scattering. It could be the dust is just wierd.
Interpreting Flux from Broadband Photometry
Astronomical Journal
How do you convert photometry into flux? How should you convert photometry into flux? If you've never investigated that question, you should before you try to interpret a spectral energy distribution or bolometric light curve.
A Swift Look at SN 2011fe: The Earliest Ultraviolet Observations of a Type Ia Supernova
Astrophysical Journal
When a supernova goes off in a galaxy pretty enough to be your first light image, you drop your current projects and study it instead.
The Ultraviolet Brightest Type Ia Supernova 2011de
Astrophysical Journal Letters
SN2011de was brighter than the super-Chandrasekhar mass candidates, but with high velocities which is not expected for a larger binding energy. Is this a new class of type Ia supernovae which are overluminous in the ultraviolet?
Swift Ultraviolet Observations of Supernova 2014J in M82: Large Extinction from Interstellar Dust
Astrophysical Journal
The nearest type Ia supernova in decades was bright enough to require special modes in the optical but extinguished enough to require extra long observations in the ultraviolet. Nevertheless, our observations show that SN2014J did indeed have a peculiar extinction law but doesn't match expectations from circumstellar scattering. It could be the dust is just wierd.
Interpreting Flux from Broadband Photometry
Astronomical Journal
How do you convert photometry into flux? How should you convert photometry into flux? If you've never investigated that question, you should before you try to interpret a spectral energy distribution or bolometric light curve.
SOUSA: the Swift Optical/Ultraviolet Supernova Archive
Astrophysics & Space Science
Description of an ongoing project to make the images and photometry of Swift supernovae available to the astronomical community to increase transparency, reproducibility, collaboration, and our physical understanding of supernovae and the universe.
A Swift Look at SN 2011fe: The Earliest Ultraviolet Observations of a Type Ia Supernova
Astrophysical Journal
When a supernova goes off in a galaxy pretty enough to be your first light image, you drop your current projects and study it instead.
The Ultraviolet Brightest Type Ia Supernova 2011de
Astrophysical Journal Letters
SN2011de was brighter than the super-Chandrasekhar mass candidates, but with high velocities which is not expected for a larger binding energy. Is this a new class of type Ia supernovae which are overluminous in the ultraviolet?
Swift Ultraviolet Observations of Supernova 2014J in M82: Large Extinction from Interstellar Dust
Astrophysical Journal
The nearest type Ia supernova in decades was bright enough to require special modes in the optical but extinguished enough to require extra long observations in the ultraviolet. Nevertheless, our observations show that SN2014J did indeed have a peculiar extinction law but doesn't match expectations from circumstellar scattering. It could be the dust is just wierd.
Interpreting Flux from Broadband Photometry
Astronomical Journal
How do you convert photometry into flux? How should you convert photometry into flux? If you've never investigated that question, you should before you try to interpret a spectral energy distribution or bolometric light curve.
SOUSA: the Swift Optical/Ultraviolet Supernova Archive
Astrophysics & Space Science
Description of an ongoing project to make the images and photometry of Swift supernovae available to the astronomical community to increase transparency, reproducibility, collaboration, and our physical understanding of supernovae and the universe.
Ultraviolet Observations of Super-Chandrasekhar Mass Type Ia Supernova Candidates with Swift UVOT
Astrophysical Journal
That's a lot of superlatives in the title for not even mentioning that the are super bright in the ultraviolet.
A Swift Look at SN 2011fe: The Earliest Ultraviolet Observations of a Type Ia Supernova
Astrophysical Journal
When a supernova goes off in a galaxy pretty enough to be your first light image, you drop your current projects and study it instead.
The Ultraviolet Brightest Type Ia Supernova 2011de
Astrophysical Journal Letters
SN2011de was brighter than the super-Chandrasekhar mass candidates, but with high velocities which is not expected for a larger binding energy. Is this a new class of type Ia supernovae which are overluminous in the ultraviolet?
Swift Ultraviolet Observations of Supernova 2014J in M82: Large Extinction from Interstellar Dust
Astrophysical Journal
The nearest type Ia supernova in decades was bright enough to require special modes in the optical but extinguished enough to require extra long observations in the ultraviolet. Nevertheless, our observations show that SN2014J did indeed have a peculiar extinction law but doesn't match expectations from circumstellar scattering. It could be the dust is just wierd.
Interpreting Flux from Broadband Photometry
Astronomical Journal
How do you convert photometry into flux? How should you convert photometry into flux? If you've never investigated that question, you should before you try to interpret a spectral energy distribution or bolometric light curve.
SOUSA: the Swift Optical/Ultraviolet Supernova Archive
Astrophysics & Space Science
Description of an ongoing project to make the images and photometry of Swift supernovae available to the astronomical community to increase transparency, reproducibility, collaboration, and our physical understanding of supernovae and the universe.
Ultraviolet Observations of Super-Chandrasekhar Mass Type Ia Supernova Candidates with Swift UVOT
Astrophysical Journal
That's a lot of superlatives in the title for not even mentioning that the are super bright in the ultraviolet.
ASASSN-15lh: A Superluminous Ultraviolet Rebrightening Observed by Swift and Hubble
Astrophysical Journal
Was it a superluminous supernova different than any we've observed before? Or was it a tidal disruption event from a black hole swallowing a star? Here's unique ultraviolet data we obtained with the Swift Ultraviolet Optical Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope so you can decide for yourself.
A Swift Look at SN 2011fe: The Earliest Ultraviolet Observations of a Type Ia Supernova
Astrophysical Journal
When a supernova goes off in a galaxy pretty enough to be your first light image, you drop your current projects and study it instead.
The Ultraviolet Brightest Type Ia Supernova 2011de
Astrophysical Journal Letters
SN2011de was brighter than the super-Chandrasekhar mass candidates, but with high velocities which is not expected for a larger binding energy. Is this a new class of type Ia supernovae which are overluminous in the ultraviolet?
Swift Ultraviolet Observations of Supernova 2014J in M82: Large Extinction from Interstellar Dust
Astrophysical Journal
The nearest type Ia supernova in decades was bright enough to require special modes in the optical but extinguished enough to require extra long observations in the ultraviolet. Nevertheless, our observations show that SN2014J did indeed have a peculiar extinction law but doesn't match expectations from circumstellar scattering. It could be the dust is just wierd.
Interpreting Flux from Broadband Photometry
Astronomical Journal
How do you convert photometry into flux? How should you convert photometry into flux? If you've never investigated that question, you should before you try to interpret a spectral energy distribution or bolometric light curve.
SOUSA: the Swift Optical/Ultraviolet Supernova Archive
Astrophysics & Space Science
Description of an ongoing project to make the images and photometry of Swift supernovae available to the astronomical community to increase transparency, reproducibility, collaboration, and our physical understanding of supernovae and the universe.
Ultraviolet Observations of Super-Chandrasekhar Mass Type Ia Supernova Candidates with Swift UVOT
Astrophysical Journal
That's a lot of superlatives in the title for not even mentioning that the are super bright in the ultraviolet.
ASASSN-15lh: A Superluminous Ultraviolet Rebrightening Observed by Swift and Hubble
Astrophysical Journal
Was it a superluminous supernova different than any we've observed before? Or was it a tidal disruption event from a black hole swallowing a star? Here's unique ultraviolet data we obtained with the Swift Ultraviolet Optical Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope so you can decide for yourself.
The first ten years of Swift supernovae
Journal of High Energy Astrophysics
An invited review from Peter^3 describing Swift observations of supernovae to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Swift satellite. Here's to ten more years!!
A Swift Look at SN 2011fe: The Earliest Ultraviolet Observations of a Type Ia Supernova
Astrophysical Journal
When a supernova goes off in a galaxy pretty enough to be your first light image, you drop your current projects and study it instead.
The Ultraviolet Brightest Type Ia Supernova 2011de
Astrophysical Journal Letters
SN2011de was brighter than the super-Chandrasekhar mass candidates, but with high velocities which is not expected for a larger binding energy. Is this a new class of type Ia supernovae which are overluminous in the ultraviolet?
Swift Ultraviolet Observations of Supernova 2014J in M82: Large Extinction from Interstellar Dust
Astrophysical Journal
The nearest type Ia supernova in decades was bright enough to require special modes in the optical but extinguished enough to require extra long observations in the ultraviolet. Nevertheless, our observations show that SN2014J did indeed have a peculiar extinction law but doesn't match expectations from circumstellar scattering. It could be the dust is just wierd.
Interpreting Flux from Broadband Photometry
Astronomical Journal
How do you convert photometry into flux? How should you convert photometry into flux? If you've never investigated that question, you should before you try to interpret a spectral energy distribution or bolometric light curve.
SOUSA: the Swift Optical/Ultraviolet Supernova Archive
Astrophysics & Space Science
Description of an ongoing project to make the images and photometry of Swift supernovae available to the astronomical community to increase transparency, reproducibility, collaboration, and our physical understanding of supernovae and the universe.
Ultraviolet Observations of Super-Chandrasekhar Mass Type Ia Supernova Candidates with Swift UVOT
Astrophysical Journal
That's a lot of superlatives in the title for not even mentioning that the are super bright in the ultraviolet.
ASASSN-15lh: A Superluminous Ultraviolet Rebrightening Observed by Swift and Hubble
Astrophysical Journal
Was it a superluminous supernova different than any we've observed before? Or was it a tidal disruption event from a black hole swallowing a star? Here's unique ultraviolet data we obtained with the Swift Ultraviolet Optical Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope so you can decide for yourself.
The first ten years of Swift supernovae
Journal of High Energy Astrophysics
An invited review from Peter^3 describing Swift observations of supernovae to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Swift satellite. Here's to ten more years!!
Reddened, Redshifted, or Intrinsically Red? Understanding Near-ultraviolet Colors of Type Ia Supernovae
Astrophysical Journal
The intrinsic colors of type Ia supernovae show a significant dispersion that cannot be explained by reddening alone.
A Swift Look at SN 2011fe: The Earliest Ultraviolet Observations of a Type Ia Supernova
Astrophysical Journal
When a supernova goes off in a galaxy pretty enough to be your first light image, you drop your current projects and study it instead.
The Ultraviolet Brightest Type Ia Supernova 2011de
Astrophysical Journal Letters
SN2011de was brighter than the super-Chandrasekhar mass candidates, but with high velocities which is not expected for a larger binding energy. Is this a new class of type Ia supernovae which are overluminous in the ultraviolet?
Swift Ultraviolet Observations of Supernova 2014J in M82: Large Extinction from Interstellar Dust
Astrophysical Journal
The nearest type Ia supernova in decades was bright enough to require special modes in the optical but extinguished enough to require extra long observations in the ultraviolet. Nevertheless, our observations show that SN2014J did indeed have a peculiar extinction law but doesn't match expectations from circumstellar scattering. It could be the dust is just wierd.
Interpreting Flux from Broadband Photometry
Astronomical Journal
How do you convert photometry into flux? How should you convert photometry into flux? If you've never investigated that question, you should before you try to interpret a spectral energy distribution or bolometric light curve.
SOUSA: the Swift Optical/Ultraviolet Supernova Archive
Astrophysics & Space Science
Description of an ongoing project to make the images and photometry of Swift supernovae available to the astronomical community to increase transparency, reproducibility, collaboration, and our physical understanding of supernovae and the universe.
Ultraviolet Observations of Super-Chandrasekhar Mass Type Ia Supernova Candidates with Swift UVOT
Astrophysical Journal
That's a lot of superlatives in the title for not even mentioning that the are super bright in the ultraviolet.
ASASSN-15lh: A Superluminous Ultraviolet Rebrightening Observed by Swift and Hubble
Astrophysical Journal
Was it a superluminous supernova different than any we've observed before? Or was it a tidal disruption event from a black hole swallowing a star? Here's unique ultraviolet data we obtained with the Swift Ultraviolet Optical Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope so you can decide for yourself.
The first ten years of Swift supernovae
Journal of High Energy Astrophysics
An invited review from Peter^3 describing Swift observations of supernovae to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Swift satellite. Here's to ten more years!!
Reddened, Redshifted, or Intrinsically Red? Understanding Near-ultraviolet Colors of Type Ia Supernovae
Astrophysical Journal
The intrinsic colors of type Ia supernovae show a significant dispersion that cannot be explained by reddening alone.
Theoretical Clues to the Ultraviolet Diversity of Type Ia Supernovae
Astrophysical Journal
Theoretical models predict that lots of different causes (metallicity, density gradient, asymmetry) can effect the ultraviolet light from supernovae. We need a new generation of models to match the new generation of ultraviolet observations.
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Peralta Community College District - Peralta Community College District