Deeshani Mitra
Rolla,MO
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
Work History
Graduate Research Assistant
Missouri University of Science and Technology
09.2025 - Current
- Lyman-α Intensity Mapping: Developed pipelines to compute the cross-correlation between halo catalogs from the IllustrisTNG50 simulation and simulated Lyman-α intensity cubes via radiative-transfer modeling. This work contributes to understanding galaxy-IGM connection models and supports upcoming surveys such as HETDEX.
- Covariance Matrix Computation: Used the RASCALC framework to compute covariance matrices for HETDEX-like survey data, including large-scale pair-counting of galaxy and random catalogs on HPC clusters to quantify statistical uncertainties for cosmological parameter inference.
Research Intern - Gravitational Wave Astrophysics
University of Valencia, Spain
04.2023 - 01.2024
- Analyzed gravitational-wave signals from core-collapse supernova simulations using time-frequency techniques including STFT, HHT, MSST, and SET on 2D and 3D neutrino-magnetohydrodynamic models.
- Applied the Hilbert-Huang Transform to decompose non-stationary signals into intrinsic mode functions and extract physically meaningful temporal features.
- Used spectral entropy techniques to quantify signal complexity and its time evolution; results form the basis of an ongoing manuscript on comparative time-frequency methods for gravitational-wave analysis.
Research Intern - Gravitational Wave Surrogate Modeling
UMass-URI Gravity Research Consortium, USA
04.2023 - 12.2023
- Developed and refined surrogate waveform models for extreme mass-ratio inspirals (EMRIs) using Effective-One-Body (EOB) training data.
- Extended the 1D-EOBNRv2 surrogate to mass ratios up to q = 100, focusing on accuracy improvements in the dominant (2, 2) mode.
- Work supports next-generation gravitational-wave detectors and advanced parameter-estimation pipelines.
Research Intern - Modified Gravity and Compact Objects
University of Oldenburg, Germany
04.2022 - 12.2023
- Studied shadow images of compact objects in beyond-Horndeski gravity, including theoretical solutions, geodesic structure, and observable signatures.
- This work resulted in a peer-reviewed publication in JCAP.
Research Intern - Numerical Relativity
Chinese University of Hong Kong
08.2023 - 01.2024
- Investigated critical phenomena in numerical relativity through 1D and 2D simulations of axisymmetric gravitational collapse.
- Evaluated open-source numerical codes for simulating head-on collisions of boson stars.
Research Assistant - Gamma-Ray Bursts
National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
01.2022 - 06.2023
- Compiled the largest optical GRB light-curve catalog with measured redshift, containing over 50,000 photometric data points.
- Developed web-based data-retrieval tools and automated GCN crawlers; performed color-evolution and population studies.
- Manuscript submitted to MNRAS.
Long-Term Visiting Student - Analogue Gravity
Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata
06.2021 - 06.2023
- Constructed and analyzed laboratory analogue gravity models, including acoustic Kerr metrics.
- Combined theoretical modeling with experimental data analysis; work submitted to Physical Review D.
Research Intern - Pulsars and Compact Binaries
NCRA-TIFR, Pune, India
12.2021 - 03.2022
- Performed statistical comparisons of Black Widow and Redback pulsar systems and studied evolutionary pathways toward isolated millisecond pulsars.
Education
Ph.D. - Physics (Cosmology & Astrophysics)
Missouri University of Science and Technology
05.2029
M.Sc. - Astrophysics
St. Xavier's College
05.2022
B.Sc. - Physics
University of Calcutta
05.2019
Skills
- Python
- NumPy
- SciPy
- Pandas
- Matplotlib
- Astropy
- Data analysis
- Scientific computing
- Shell scripting
- Jupyter
- Git
- Scikit-learn
- TensorFlow
- Regression models
- Clustering
- Cross-validation
- RASCALC
- HPC environments
- Radiative transfer modeling
- Cosmological simulations
- Statistical inference
- LATEX
- Overleaf
- Version control
- UNIX/Linux workflows
- Basic SQL
Accomplishments
- Achieved A grades in graduate coursework: Classical Mechanics, Non-linear Dynamics, Statistical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics II
Research
- Graduate Research Assistant, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Dr. Shun Saito, 2025-08-01, present, Lyman-α Intensity Mapping: Developed pipelines to compute the cross-correlation between halo catalogs from the IllustrisTNG50 simulation and simulated Lyman-α intensity cubes via radiative-transfer modeling., Covariance Matrix Computation: Used the RASCALC framework to compute covariance matrices for HETDEX-like survey data.
- Research Intern - Gravitational Wave Astrophysics, University of Valencia, Spain, Prof. Martin Obergaulinger, Prof. Miguel Ángel Aloy, 2023-04-01, 2024-12-31, Analyzed gravitational-wave signals from core-collapse supernova simulations using time-frequency techniques., Applied the Hilbert-Huang Transform to decompose non-stationary signals.
- Research Intern - Gravitational Wave Surrogate Modeling, UMass-URI Gravity Research Consortium, USA, Prof. Gaurav Khanna, Prof. Scott Field, 2023-04-01, 2023-12-31, Developed and refined surrogate waveform models for extreme mass-ratio inspirals (EMRIs).
- Research Intern - Modified Gravity and Compact Objects, University of Oldenburg, Germany, Prof. Jutta Kunz, 2022-04-01, 2023-12-31, Studied shadow images of compact objects in beyond-Horndeski gravity.
- Research Intern - Numerical Relativity, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prof. Lap-Ming Lin, 2023-08-01, 2024-12-31, Investigated critical phenomena in numerical relativity.
- Research Assistant - Gamma-Ray Bursts, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Prof. Maria Giovanna Dainotti, 2022-01-01, 2023-06-30, Compiled the largest optical GRB light-curve catalog.
- Long-Term Visiting Student - Analogue Gravity, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, Prof. Subir Ghosh, 2021-06-01, 2023-06-30, Constructed and analyzed laboratory analogue gravity models.
- Research Intern - Pulsars and Compact Binaries, NCRA-TIFR, Pune, India, Prof. Sushan Konar, 2021-12-01, 2022-03-31, Performed statistical comparisons of Black Widow and Redback pulsar systems.
Skills Technical Expertise
Python (NumPy, SciPy, Pandas, Matplotlib, Astropy), data analysis, scientific computing, shell scripting, Jupyter, Git, Experience with scikit-learn, TensorFlow (basic), regression models, clustering, cross-validation, RASCALC, HPC environments, radiative transfer modeling, cosmological simulations (Illustris TNG), statistical inference, LATEX, Overleaf, version control (Git), UNIX/Linux workflows, basic SQL, Cosmology, large-scale structure, Lyman-α intensity mapping, astrophysical data pipelines
Funding Awards
- Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA), 2025-06-01
- Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA), 2024-08-01 to 2025-04-30
Personal Information
Title: PhD Student in Physics - Cosmology & Astrophysics
Publications
- Lyα Intensity Mapping in HETDEX: Galaxy-Lyα Intensity Cross-Power Spectrum, M. Lujan Niemeyer et al. (including D. Mitra as co-author), 2025-01-01, https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.11427
- Shadow images of compact objects in beyond Horndeski theory, H. Huang, J. Kunz, D. Mitra, 2024-05-01, https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2024/05/007
- The Lunar Gravitational-wave Antenna: Mission Studies and Science Case, P. Ajith, P. A. Seoane, M. A. Sedda, R. Arcodia, F. Badaracco, ..., D. Mitra, 2024-01-01, https://arxiv.org/abs/2404.09181
- The Lunar Gravitational-wave Antenna: Mission Studies and Science Case, A. Parameswaran, P. A. Seoane, M. A. Sedda, R. Arcodia, F. Badaracco, ..., D. Mitra, 2025-01-01, Accepted or In Press, https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.11427
- Spinning black hole in a fluid, D. Mitra et al., Manuscript in preparation
Training
- Lyman-α Intensity Mapping from Full Radiative Transfer Simulation in Illustris TNG50, HETDEX Collaboration Meeting, UT Austin, 2025-05-01
- Cross-Correlating the Universe: The Gravitational Wave Background and Large-Scale Structure, Midwest Cosmology Network (MCN), 2025-04-01
- Advanced Cosmology Theory Presentation, Seminar Series, 2024-08-01 to 2025-04-30
Timeline
Graduate Research Assistant
Missouri University of Science and Technology
09.2025 - Current
Research Intern - Numerical Relativity
Chinese University of Hong Kong
08.2023 - 01.2024
Research Intern - Gravitational Wave Astrophysics
University of Valencia, Spain
04.2023 - 01.2024
Research Intern - Gravitational Wave Surrogate Modeling
UMass-URI Gravity Research Consortium, USA
04.2023 - 12.2023
Research Intern - Modified Gravity and Compact Objects
University of Oldenburg, Germany
04.2022 - 12.2023
Research Assistant - Gamma-Ray Bursts
National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
01.2022 - 06.2023
Research Intern - Pulsars and Compact Binaries
NCRA-TIFR, Pune, India
12.2021 - 03.2022
Long-Term Visiting Student - Analogue Gravity
Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata
06.2021 - 06.2023
Ph.D. - Physics (Cosmology & Astrophysics)
Missouri University of Science and Technology
M.Sc. - Astrophysics
St. Xavier's College
B.Sc. - Physics
University of Calcutta