Barev!
I am an astrophysicist currently working at the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço (IA) and an Invited Lecturer for the Astronomy Doctoral Program at the Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto. My research interests span from nearby exoplanets and their host stars, to galactic structure, and extend to far-away galaxies hosting various types of supernovae.
In short, I am a data-driven and results-oriented researcher with over 14 years of post-PhD experience in research, teaching, supervision, fund acquisition, and international collaborations. I am proficient in data analysis, statistical modeling, and machine learning, with a proven track record of extracting valuable insights from complex datasets.
Feel free to explore my website to know more about my work and discover my STARS for ALL project.
Professional Journey and Collaborations »
My career path in astrophysics began with the completion of my PhD in Astrophysics in 2009 at Yerevan State University (YSU). Subsequently, I served as a Research Associate at the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory from 2009 to 2011, concurrently holding a part-time Assistant Professor role at YSU. In pursuit of broadened expertise and international research opportunities, I made the deliberate decision to terminate my positions and relocate to Porto in 2011.
In Porto, I started on a postdoctoral journey supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), initially as an FCT fellow and later as an FCT Assistant Researcher at IA. Notably, I lead the Stellar Astrophysics Research group at the institute from 2019 to 2021. I have also been an Invited Lecturer at the University of Porto since 2020.
My research in Portugal began in collaboration with the Nobel Laureate Michel Mayor and the founder of the STARMUS Festival Garik Israelian. Over the years, my research has brought me closer to a number of astrophysicists around the world, with whom I am presently collaborating on different domains of astrophysics.
While continuously based in Porto, my extensive collaboration network enabled me to maintain excellent research mobility, visiting numerous leading institutes for research stays. These include Germany, France, Spain, Japan, Chile, Armenia, Lithuania, and Switzerland. I was also a Visiting Scientist at the Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur and Severo Ochoa Senior Researcher at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias.
Publication Highlights »
I have an extensive publication record, with over 200 peer-reviewed articles to my name. Notably, I have served as the first author for 37 of these articles, 26 of which are peer-reviewed. These contributions have collectively garnered more than 9000 citations, with first-author papers receiving over 1500 citations, including one with 400+ citations. Some noteworthy recent publications include a first-author paper in Science, a book chapter, an invited review article, as well as multiple co-authored articles featured in prestigious journals like Nature and Nature Astronomy.
In 2021, I achieved recognition as one of the top 2% of the most widely cited scientists in the world across all disciplines.
Professional Engagements and Associations »
I am actively engaged in various ESO (European Southern Observatory) and ESA (European Space Agency) consortia, which include ESPRESSO (a state-of-the-art planet hunter spectrograph), ANDES (a cutting-edge spectrograph planned for the world's largest telescope), CHEOPS (the first space mission dedicated to studying nearby stars with known exoplanets), PLATO (a space mission focused on discovering and characterizing Earth-like exoplanets), and ARIEL (a space mission designed to analyze exoplanet atmospheres). Additionally, I am a member of NASA's NExSS Research Coordination Network and a Project Team participant at the European Astrobiology Institute. Currently, I serve as a Management Board member for a COST Action project funded by the EU (The Birth of Solar Systems).
I also contribute as a frequent referee for major astronomy-related journals and magazines and hold the role of Associate Editor at 'Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences' magazine. I have been invited to review projects for the Czech Science Foundation and Dutch Research Council and to serve as a member of the ESO Observing Proposals Committee. My experience includes chairing and participating in evaluation panels for MSc, PhD, and Post-Doc fellowships, as well as serving as a jury member for PhD and MSc theses.
Research Funding »
Through successful funding applications, I have secured funding for myself and for my research projects, enabling valuable contributions to my research fields. I was granted a highly competitive IFCT Starting Grant (€302K) from 2016 to 2022, securing the 10th rank nationwide. As a PI, I led a highly competitive FCT-funded R&D project (€80K) spanning from 2016 to 2019 and currently I am the PI of an ongoing FCT-funded R&D project, EXO-Terra (€50K), which is scheduled to run from 2023 to 2024. In addition to these research projects, I also acted as Co-I in eight other nationally and internationally funded research projects, collectively amounting to over €1.8 million.
Teaching and Mentoring Experience »
I have an extensive record of student supervision and mentoring, having (co)supervised 3 PhD, 7 MSc, 3 BSc students. Additionally, I have supervised over 15 research projects ranging from undergraduate to postdoctoral level. I have gained solid teaching experience at both the undergraduate level (BSc courses at the Yerevan State University) and postgraduate levels (PhD courses at the University of Porto and MSc courses at the Yerevan State University). I have been a member of the Evaluation Committee for the Doctoral Program in Astronomy of the University of Porto since 2017. I have also lectured at two international advanced schools.
