Andrealuna Pizzetti
Hi little Sith apprentices! I’m Andrealuna and I’m a PhD candidate at Clemson University. My love for Astrophysics started when at 3 years old my parents showed me the bright Hale-Bopp comet. I don’t know what happened, I just know that after that moment everything related to Astronomy became an obsession! I obtained my bachelor degree in Astronomy at the University of Bologna and after that I decided to come here to commit my life to this discipline. I am currently working on the X-ray analysis and modeling of obscured active galactic nuclei (AGN) and on the study of their variability over time using different models.
When my head is not immersed in the stars, I enjoy going for walks into the woods while listening to some good metal music, or to some opera, why not? When in Italy I was volunteering in the local observatory and I loved sharing with others the beautiful stories that are behind all the constellations in our sky and some fun and nerdy facts about this fantastic science so I hope I’ll get the chance to do the same with you guys! Needless to say, Star Wars is an important part of my life, so I wait for all of you to join me to the dark side (where else do you think you’ll be able to see the stars?)
Jordan Eagle
Hi everyone! I’m Jordan and I’m a PhD candidate at Clemson University and currently finishing my thesis at the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. I was born and raised on the East coast of Virginia. In college, I found the courage and support to explore my passion (astrophysics!) as a career. Five years deep in a Galactic rabbit hole, I am currently fascinated with some of the most energetic environments – some right in our neighborhood! Pulsars generate powerful winds made of relativistic particles that have been accelerated to tremendous energies. I study their winds and the particles within it!
When I don’t have my thinking cap on, I love being outdoors and doing really any activity ranging from running to snowboarding! I have three fur babies (which double up as nice morning alarms) called Mars, Bella, and Ruca and they know my morning routine apparently better than I do. I’m a TV junkie (nearly 20-year binge) so probably half of what I say is either from The Office or How I Met Your Mother (and no, I don’t watch the Big Bang Theory!).
Lea Marcotulli
Ciao! Salut! Hello! I am Lea and I am currently a NASA Hubble Postdoctoral Fellow (NHFP Einstein) at Yale University. From Italy/France with love, I have come to the US to study some of the most powerful objects in the universe: active supermassive black holes that shoot out extreme relativistic jets. I use both NASA satellites in space, as well as telescopes on the ground, in order to find these cosmic monsters at the dawn of the universe and understand their physics.
When I am not staring into my laptop screen, or more poetically looking at the stars, you can find me in nature, hiking, chopping wood, or camping. I love reading and knitting (bit of a grandma I know). But most importantly, I have a passion for sharing my love for astrophysics with the world!
Meena Rajagopal
Hi! I am Meena. Originally from the colorful land of India, I am currently a graduate student at Clemson University working towards a doctorate in Astrophysics. I explore different types of active galaxies and other high energy phenomena using both ground and space-based telescopes around the world.
Through this channel, I would love to share my knowledge of our beautiful and mysterious Universe with you. In my spare time, I love reading, cooking, crocheting and playing video games. My favorite games are open world RPGs like The Witcher, Horizon Zero Dawn etc.
Núria Torres-Albà
Hi! I’m Núria, currently a postdoc at Clemson University. I obtained my PhD in Physics at the University of Barcelona in 2019, working on the relation between stellar processes and supermassive black-hole activity in other galaxies. Currently, my research focuses on using X-ray detectors to catch elusive, highly-obscured black holes in the nearby Universe.
When I’m not working I enjoy long walks, reading and creative writing. I also enjoy eating out and trying all kinds of new food or, in pandemic times, I enjoy trying and failing to cook any sort of new food. I’ve always enjoyed sharing my passion for astronomy, and I hope we will get to explore the cosmos together!
(On) Planet Nine 