RITA SAMBRUNA
Dr. Rita Maria Sambruna
Department of Physics and Astronomy, MS 3F3
George Mason University
4400 University Dr.
Fairfax, VA 22030-4444
voice: 301-286-1205
email: rms@physics.gmu.edu
I am an Affiliate Professor of Physics and Astronomy at George Mason
University, where I previously held the position of
Clare Boothe Luce Professor of Astrophysics. In 2005 I moved to NASA's
Goddard Space Flight Center where I am a Senior Astrophysicist working on
high-energy space-based missions. My
main research interest are supermassive black holes in galaxies, which I study
from an observer's perspective using X-ray and multiwavelength data
collected with space- and ground-based telescopes. The goal of my
research is to unravel the structure of the accretion flow and the
conditions of matter nearby these objects.
My non-professional interests include the study and teaching of Applied Behavior Analysis,
a branch of Behavior Science, geared towards companion animals and their caregivers.
To this end I co-founded a non-profit
organization, the
Animal Education Foundation , based in Washington, DC.
Education:
Doctor Philosophiae (PhD)
in Astrophysics, 1994,
International School for Advanced Studies, Trieste, Italy
Master Philosophiae in Astrophysics, 1992,
International School for Advanced Studies, Trieste, Italy
Laurea in Physics, 1989, Universita' degli Studi, Milan, Italy
Positions:
Astrophysicist, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, 2005-present
Affiliate Professor, George Mason University, 2005-present
Clare Boothe Luce Professor of Astrophysics, George Mason University, 2001-2005
Associate Tenured Professor, George Mason University, 2004-2005
Assistant Professor, George Mason University, 2000-2004
Research Associate, Pennsylvania State University, Chandra Team, 1997-2000
NRC Fellow, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Laboratory for High-Energy Astrophysics, 1995-1997
Postdoctoral Fellow, Space Telescope Science Institute, 1994-1995
Awards and Honors:
NSF's
CAREER award, 2002-2006
NASA's LTSA award, 2001-2005
Clare Boothe Luce Professorship, 2001-2005
NRC's Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, 1995-1997
SISSA research scholarship, 1990-1994
Research Grants:
PI of many observing and long-term research grants from NASA and NSF
(HST, Chandra, XMM, RXTE, Suzaku, Fermi, ADP, LTSA, CAREER)
Research Topics:
The Physics of extragalactic jets:
1. X-ray and multiwavelength mapping of kpc-scale jets -
Related Link: Bologna Jet Worskhop , September 23-27, 2002
2. Correlated multiwavelength monitoring of blazars
Radio galaxies:
1. Structure of the accretion flow in radio-loud AGN
2. Weak-Lined Radio Galaxies
The nature of IR-luminous LINERs
X-ray observations of Seyferts and IR-luminous galaxies Papers
Talks, Publications, and Outreach:
Publications
Invited Talks
Outreach Activities
Synergistic Activities:
Member of the SOC of the 2nd VERITAS Symposium on the TeV
Astrophysics of Extragalactic Sources, 2003 April 24-26,
Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum, Chicago, IL
Organizer and Co-chair of the Bologna Jet Worskhop , 2002 September 23-27, Bologna, Italy
Member of the HEASARC Working Group, 2002-2005
Science advisor to the GLAST and HESS Working Groups
Regular referee for ApJ, MNRAS, A&A, Science
Panelist for NASA and NSF Peer Reviews
Teaching:
Astro 765/CSI 765 - High-energy astrophysics: New course: An Introduction to Active Galactic Nuclei (graduate level)
Astro 769/CSI 769
- New course: Observational X-ray Astronomy (graduate level)
Astro 113 - Introductory Astronomy for non-science majors
Astro 112 - Introductory Astronomy Lab (Fall semester)
Astro 114 - Introductory Astronomy Lab (Spring semester)
Physics 408 - Senior Research Project
Collaborators at GMU:
Dr. Francesco Tombesi, Postdoctoral Researcher, 2009-present
Dr. Mario Gliozzi , Postdoctoral Researcher, 2001-2008
Graduate Students Advised:
Insuk Jang , 2008-present
Davide Donato , 2002-2006
Jessica K. Gambill , 2001-2004 Jess' paper
at the 2002 Cheasapeake Physics teacher meeting was selected as the best
student paper
Undergraduate Students Advised in Research Projects:
At George Mason University:
Andy Ayres, Summer 2001, 2002 Enrolled in physics grad program at GMU
Emily Chapman, 2000-2003
Accepted at the UPitts astronomy graduate program and awarded the Warga Research Fellowship
Shirin Emdadi, Spring 2001
David Norwood, Summer 2001 Graduated and now working for a company
Jessica K. Reitz, Summer 2001 Enrolled in the Astrophysics grad program at GMU
Alex Rinn, Summer 2001-2004 Graduated and now working for the Governement
Stuart Bannan, Summer 2002 Junior at St John's College in Annapolis
Michael Malone, Summer 2002 Junior at St John's College in Annapolis
John McNulty, Summer 2002 Junior at St John's College in Annapolis
See pictures of the 2001 summer astronomy students!
At Pennsylvania State University:
Christa Hasenkopf, Summer 2000
Lester Chou, 1998-2000 Graduated and now working for a company
Links: