Shami Chatterjee
Associate Professor, Astronomy
Academic focus:
Radio astronomy, neutron stars, time-domain astronomy, gravitational waves
Current research project:
I work on using rapidly rotating neutron stars as clocks to detect gravitational waves -- ripples in the fabric of spacetime -- produced by merging supermassive binary black holes in the hearts of distant galaxies. We recently announced the first evidence for the existence of these low frequency gravitational waves. I also work on fast radio bursts, millisecond flashes of radio waves from distant galaxies that pop off all over the sky thousands of times each day, but have only been detected in recent years.
Previous positions:
- Research Professor, Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, 2022-2025
- Principal Research Scientist, Cornell Center for Astronomy and Planetary Science, 2020-2025
- Senior Research Associate, Cornell Center for Astronomy and Planetary Science, 2015-2020
- Research Associate, Cornell Center for Radiophysics and Space Research, 2009-2015
- Research Scientist and Queen Elizabeth II Fellow, CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility, 2008-2009
- University Research Fellow, School of Physics, The University of Sydney, 2006-2008
- Jansky Fellow, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and National Radio Astronomy Observatory, 2003-2006
Academic background:
- Ph.D., Astronomy, Cornell University, 2003
- B.Tech., Electronics and communication engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, 1996
Last book read:
Fiction: Children of Time, by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Big themes explored on the canvas of large-scale space opera with exceptional world-building. I'm ten years late to it, and it's still a great read!
Non-fiction: The Unaccountability Machine, by Dan Davies. "When we avoid making a decision, what happens to it?" Exploring the modern change in the relationship between decision makers and those affected by the decisions, this was an eye-opener of a book.
In your own time/when not working:
I enjoy reading, photography and hiking, but mostly, our two wonderful kids keep us busy.
Courses you’re most looking forward to teaching:
I've enjoyed the introductory astronomy courses looking at our universe and our solar system, and I particularly like The Search for Life in the Universe, a course that Frank Drake (of Drake Equation fame) started here at Cornell. This semester, I'm tackling Modeling, Mining, and Machine Learning in Astronomy.
What most excites you about Cornell:
Amazing students who are eager to tackle hard problems, the collaborative atmosphere, the vibrant and inclusive culture.
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