Curriculum vitae
CV
Research interests: stellar-mass and supermassive black holes, accretion and relativistic jets, the Fundamental Plane of black hole activity, the transient universe, and multi-wavelength astronomy.
Employment
- 2025–Associate Research Scientist, Department of Astronomy, Yale University, USA
- 2024–2025Research Associate, Center for Astrophysics and Space Science, NYU Abu Dhabi, UAE
- 2018–2023Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Physics, New York University Abu Dhabi, UAE
- 2013–2017PhD Researcher, Department of Astrophysics, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- 2012–2013Student Research Assistant, IUCAA, Pune, India
Education
- 2013–2017PhD in Astrophysics, Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands
Thesis: “Disc–jet coupling in supermassive black holes”
Advisors: Prof. Dr. Heino Falcke and Dr. Elmar Körding
Award: FRYE Award for excellence in research - 2010–2012MSc in Astrophysics, European Joint Master’s Astromundus (University of Innsbruck, Austria; University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy; University of Göttingen, Germany; University of Belgrade, Serbia)
Thesis: “The UV and optical spectral properties of broad-line AGN”
Award: Best Master’s Thesis Award, Grade: Excellent - 2007–2010BSc (Hons) in Physics, St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi, India
Thesis: “Photometric study of the globular cluster M15”
Award: Raghuvansh K. Balbir Prize
Scholarships, honours and awards
- 2021–2025Affiliate Scientist, Mohammed Bin Rashid Academy of Scientists (MBRAS), the national body representing the UAE’s science community; core member of its Diversity in Science committee
- 2018Individual research travel award, NYU Abu Dhabi, for an international collaboration visit ($1,800)
- 2015, 2017LKBF travel grants, Leids Kerkhoven-Bosscha Fonds, to present at conferences
- 2017RadioNet travel support to attend a radio astronomy workshop in the UK
- 2015FRYE Award, Radboud University, for excellence in research (€3,500)
- 2013Best Astromundus Master’s Thesis Award 2012, Erasmus Mundus Association (€1,000)
- 2010–2012Erasmus Mundus full scholarship, European Commission, for the Master’s programme (€46,000)
- 2010Raghuvansh K. Balbir Prize, St. Stephen’s College, awarded to the student who demonstrates exemplary dedication and effective leadership
- 2007Science Meritorious Award, University of Delhi
Research experience
- Jul 2026Observing scientist, Palomar 200-inch (Hale) Telescope, USA. Planned and carried out a two-night optical photometry campaign with CHIMERA to study variability in compact objects
- Aug 2023Visiting scientist, MIT, Boston, USA. Visited Erin Kara’s group to discuss and collaborate on X-ray binaries (e.g. IGR J17091−3624) and ideas related to changing-look AGN
- Dec 2022Visiting scientist, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Learned the BHJET code and assisted in the supervision of G. Katusiime, an ASPIRE MSc summer student in Sera Markoff’s group
- Feb 2020Observing scientist, ESO New Technology Telescope, La Silla, Chile. Planned and carried out three nights of infrared observations of X-ray binaries
- Aug–Sep 2018Visiting radio astronomer, JIVE, the Netherlands. Analysed 5 GHz EVN data of ten faint radio galaxies with AIPS, with Dr. Zsolt Paragi, to understand their jet power
- Oct 2017Visiting student, Northwestern University, Chicago, USA. Worked with Dr. Deanne Coppejans on radio emission from a sample of white dwarfs with varying magnetic fields, using VLA data
- Sep 2017Visiting student, University of Oxford, UK. Wrote a radio proposal with Prof. Rob Fender to study low-luminosity AGN in the local universe with the AMI-LA radio telescope
- Sep–Dec 2012Student research assistant, IUCAA, Pune, India. Used the 6.4 keV broad iron line in Suzaku X-ray data, with Dr. Gulab Dewangan, to probe the central engine of the radio galaxy 3C 120
- 2012Master’s thesis, Universities of Göttingen and Belgrade. Studied the UV and optical spectral properties of a sample of broad-line AGN with Prof. Dr. Luka Č. Popović and Prof. Dr. Wolfram Kollatschny
- 2010Bachelor’s thesis, St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi. Carried out a photometric study of the globular cluster M15 with Dr. Sangeeta Sachdeva
- Dec 2009Winter school project, TIFR, Mumbai. Searched for low-frequency QPOs in the black hole binary GRS 1915+105 using RXTE data, as part of the TIFR Winter School on Astronomy and Astrophysics 2009
- May–Jul 2009Visiting student, Raman Research Institute, Bangalore. Carried out a preliminary analysis of extended southern-sky radio sources at 151.5 MHz with the Mauritius Radio Telescope, with Dr. N. Udaya Shankar
Selected successful telescope proposals
- 2026PI, Palomar ToO: Rapid optical variability of X-ray binaries in outburst
- 2025PI, NICER: A NICER archival legacy survey of LMXBs
- 2025PI, NICER: A library of outbursts from accreting X-ray pulsars
- 2025PI, Palomar: Fast optical variability of accreting compact objects
- 2025PI, Swift: Observing the early rise of X-ray transients with Swift
- 2025PI, Swift: A Swift legacy survey of X-ray binaries in outburst
- 2020–2026Co-I, Chandra: Awakening the beast: how are X-ray binary outbursts triggered?
- 2020–2024Co-I, GRAVITY/VLTI: Spatially resolving infrared jets in X-ray binaries
- 2020–2024Co-I, VISIR: Revealing the nature of X-ray binary jets with VISIR
- 2020–2024Co-I, Swift: Observing the early rise of X-ray transients with Swift
- 2022PI, e-MERLIN: Investigating the changing look of NGC 5273
- 2022Co-I, MeerKAT: A MeerKAT look at radio-detected runaway stellar bow shocks
- 2022Co-I, ATCA: Broad-band radio spectra of runaway stellar bow shocks
- 2022Co-I, VLA: Accreting massive black holes in young star clusters
- 2021Co-I, VLT: Polarimetric monitoring of an X-ray binary outburst
- 2020Co-I, NICER: Catching X-ray transients on the rise with XB-NEWS and NICER
- 2019Co-I, SOFI/NTT: IR flickering in Galactic black holes at extremely low accretion rates
- 2018–2022Co-I, VISIR/VLT: Revealing the nature of X-ray binary jets with VISIR
- 2018, 2019Co-I, FORS2/VLT: Optical/IR polarimetric monitoring of transient neutron star X-ray binaries in outburst
- 2018Co-I, AstroSat: Probing the origin of UV emission and the disc/jet connection in the LINER M81
- 2017PI, AMI-LA: Observing ten LLAGN in the nearby universe
- 2016PI, VLA: Palomar 15 GHz survey of active galactic nuclei in the nearby universe
- 2016PI, EVN: Spin dependence of jet power in supermassive black holes
- 2016PI, VLA: The origin of radio emission in low-luminosity nearby galaxies
Teaching
- 2026Lecturer, Time-Domain Multi-Messenger Astronomy Workshop, Bangladesh. X-ray binaries
- 2023–2024Guest lecturer, Optical Astrophysics, BSc (Multi-wavelength Astronomy), NYU Abu Dhabi
- 2022–2024Guest lecturer, Black hole imaging with EHT, BSc Core Curriculum (Space), NYU Abu Dhabi
- 2021–2023Lecturer, annual Astronomy Camp, NYU Abu Dhabi, for meritorious students in the UAE
- 2020–2021Teaching assistant, Space Lab, BSc, NYU Abu Dhabi
- 2014–2016Teaching assistant, Newtonian Cosmology, BSc, Radboud University
- 2014–2015Teaching assistant, Black Holes and Accretion, MSc, Radboud University
- 2013Teaching assistant, The Universe, BSc, Radboud University
Supervision
- 2025–2027Co-supervising William Chang (PhD student, Yale Physics)Papers:‘Machine-learning classification of XRBs and their states’, Chang et al., in prep.
- 2025–2027Co-supervising Katie Ciurleo (Postgraduate Associate, Yale Astronomy)Papers:‘A Life Written in Outbursts: 27 Years of Multiwavelength Monitoring of Aquila X-1’, Saikia, Bailyn, Ciurleo et al. 2026, ApJ, submitted
- 2023–2025Co-supervised the capstone project of Katerina Fialová (NYU Abu Dhabi, BSc)Papers:‘New ideas from old friends: revisiting XTE J1118+480’, Fialová et al., in prep.ATels:Fialová et al. 2025, ATel 17065
Fialová et al. 2024, ATel 16831 - 2022–2023Assisted in the supervision of G. Katusiime (ASPIRE MSc summer student, University of Amsterdam)Papers:‘New ideas from old friends: revisiting XTE J1118+480’, Katusiime et al., in prep.
- 2022–2023Supervised Jwaher Alnaqbi (NYU Abu Dhabi, research assistant) on projects on compact objectsPapers:‘Long-term optical monitoring of IC 10 X−2’, Alnaqbi, Gelfand, Saikia et al. 2025, ApJ
‘Multi-wavelength analysis of BHXB 4U 1543−47’, Saikia, Alnaqbi, Russell et al., in prep.ATels:Alnaqbi et al. 2022, ATel 15254
Alnaqbi et al. 2022, ATel 15719 - 2021–2022Co-supervised the capstone project of Tengiz Ibrayev (NYU Abu Dhabi, BSc)Papers:‘An optical cavity surrounding V404 Cyg’, Russell, Ibrayev, Saikia et al., in prep.
- 2020–2021Co-supervised the capstone project of Eleonora Caruso (NYU Shanghai, BSc)Papers:‘Swift J1357.2−0933 in quiescence and outbursts’, Caruso et al., in prep.ATels:Caruso et al. 2020, ATel 13732
Caruso et al. 2020, ATel 14132
Caruso et al. 2020, ATel 14133
Caruso et al. 2021, ATel 14415
Caruso et al. 2021, ATel 14623 - 2019–2020Co-supervised the capstone project of Saarah Pirbhoy (NYU Abu Dhabi, BSc)Papers:Saikia, Russell, Pirbhoy et al. 2023, ApJ, 949
Saikia, Russell, Pirbhoy et al. 2023, MNRAS, 524, 4543
Russell et al. 2020, MNRAS, 495, 182ATels:Pirbhoy et al. 2019, ATel 13120
Pirbhoy et al. 2020, ATel 13451 - 2018–2023Assisted in the supervision of research projects by C. Blake, A. Sharma and K. Q. Canales (capstone projects), C. Cho and S. Waterval (PhD research projects), and Y. Heikal (internship project)Papers:‘Scaling Up: A global optical/X-ray correlation for reprocessing across black hole masses’, Cho, Russell, Sharma, Saikia et al. 2026, ApJ, submitted
‘A misfired outburst in the neutron star X-ray binary Centaurus X-4’, Baglio, Saikia, Russell, Homan, Waterval et al. 2022, ApJ, 930, 20ATels:Saikia, Heikal et al. 2020, ATel 13953
Waterval et al. 2020, ATel 14254
Saikia, Baglio, Russell, Homan, Waterval et al. 2021, ATel 14302
Baglio, Russell, Saikia, Waterval et al. 2021, ATel 14332
Alabarta, Russell, Baglio, Saikia, Bramich, Heikal et al. 2023, ATel 16147
Conferences and seminars
- Sep 2026Invited lecturer, Time-Domain Multi-Messenger Astronomy Workshop, Bangladesh
X-ray binaries - Aug 2026Contributed talk, Chandra’s Dynamic Universe, Cambridge, USA
Awakening the beast: how are X-ray binary outbursts triggered? - Feb 2026Invited online talk, Independent University, Bangladesh
Black Holes Across the Universe: One Physics, Many Scales - Sep 2025Invited panelist, NASA’s 4th TDAMM workshop, Huntsville, AL
X-ray binaries: panel discussion on community observing plans - May 2025Invited seminar, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, India
Unified disc–jet coupling across the black hole mass scales - May 2025Invited seminar, National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, India
Optical/IR observations of XRBs and disc–jet connections - Sep 2024Invited seminar, X-ray group, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
First comprehensive optical study of IGR J17091−3624 - Jul 2024Contributed talk, COSPAR Scientific Assembly, Busan, South Korea
Exotic optical variations of the BH XRB IGR J17091−3624 - Feb 2024Contributed talk, Variable sources in the Galaxy workshop, NYU Abu Dhabi, UAE
Outbursts, mini-outbursts and re-flares in X-ray binaries - Nov 2023HEAD seminar, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, USA
Black hole accretion with optical observations - Aug 2023Seminar, Chandra/HETG meeting, MIT, USA
Black hole accretion with optical observations - May 2023Contributed talk, Microquasar workshop, Crete, Greece
High-amplitude optical variations in Swift J1910 at quiescence - Feb 2023Invited seminar, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Understanding accretion in black holes with optical telescopes - Jan 2023Invited seminar, Accretion group, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Low-level accretion in quiescence: the case of Swift J1910 - Dec 2022Discussion lead, Idea session, Lorentz Center, the Netherlands
Multi-wavelength observations of changing-look AGN - Sep 2022Contributed talk, ThunderKAT workshop, South Africa
Understanding black hole accretion in quiescence - Aug 2022Invited seminar, THEAPA meeting, University of Cambridge, UK
Understanding black hole accretion with optical telescopes - Jul 2022Two contributed talks, COSPAR Scientific Assembly, Greece
High-amplitude optical variations in Swift J1910; A multi-wavelength study of GRS 1716−249 in outburst - May 2022Contributed talk, Growing Black Holes, Nepal
Optical monitoring of BHXRB Swift J1910 in quiescence - Jan 2022Invited seminar, Jagannath Barooah College, Assam, India
Mysteries of the Universe - Sep 2021Contributed talk, 9th Microquasar Workshop, Italy
Black hole X-ray binary Lorentz factors - Jan 2021Two contributed talks, COSPAR Scientific Assembly, Australia
Constraining the fundamental plane of black hole activity; Black hole X-ray binary Lorentz factors - Oct 2020Contributed talk, Chandra Frontiers in Time-Domain Science, USA
X-ray Binary New Early Warning System (XB-NEWS) - Sep 2020Invited seminar, Joint Institute for VLBI ERIC (JIVE), the Netherlands
Relativistic jets in black hole X-ray binaries - Aug 2020Invited seminar, ARGI Author series, Independent University, Bangladesh
Disc/jet coupling in black holes - Jul 2019Contributed talk, High Energy Phenomena in Relativistic Outflows, Spain
Lorentz factor of compact jets in black hole X-ray binaries - May 2019Contributed talk, Outflows 2019, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Lorentz factor of compact jets in black hole X-ray binaries - May 2019Contributed talk, Cosmic Explosions summer school, Cargèse, France
How relativistic are X-ray binary jets? - Nov 2018Contributed talk, Sharjah International Conference, UAE
How fast are the jets in stellar-mass black holes? - Oct 2017Invited seminar, Northwestern University, Chicago, USA
Mass-scaling of black holes - Oct 2017Department seminar, WHAM, Radboud University, the Netherlands
Lorentz factor of compact jets from the fundamental plane - Sep 2017Invited seminar, University of Oxford, UK
The Fundamental Plane of black hole activity - Sep 2017Invited seminar, University of Southampton, UK
The Fundamental Plane of black hole activity - May 2017Contributed talk, 70th Dutch Astronomy Conference, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
Radio flux at 1.4 GHz on the Fundamental Plane - Apr 2017Contributed talk, Quasars at All Cosmic Epochs, Padova, Italy
1.4 GHz on the fundamental plane to probe nuclear activity of AGN - Nov 2016Poster, NOVA IRB meeting, the Netherlands
The optical Fundamental Plane of black hole activity - May 2016Poster, Blazars through Sharp Multi-Wavelength Eyes, Málaga, Spain
Using the Fundamental Plane to constrain jet physics - Oct 2015Contributed talk, Extragalactic Relativistic Jets, Bangalore, India
Constraining jet physics with the Fundamental Plane - Jan 2015Department seminar, WHAM, Radboud University, the Netherlands
Disc/jet coupling in black holes - Oct 2014Contributed talk, Netherlands Accretion and Jet Theory Meeting, the Netherlands
Optical Fundamental Plane of black hole activity - Jun 2014Poster, The X-ray Universe 2014, Dublin, Ireland
Optical version of the Fundamental Plane of black hole activity - Apr 2012Contributed talk, Workshop on AGN and Gravitational Lensing, Andrevlje, Serbia
Optical/UV spectral properties of a sample of broad-line AGN
Service, outreach and community
- 2026–Reviewer, NASA Astrophysics Guest Observer proposal panels (NuSTAR, NICER, Chandra, IXPE and other missions)
- 2023–2026Telescope scheduler, ThunderKAT and X-KAT (MeerKAT open-time programme on X-ray binaries; PI Rob Fender)
- 2023Local Organising Committee, international conference on Timescales in Astrophysics, UAE
- 2023–2025Public talks at remote government schools in the UAE, Scientists in Residence programme of MBRAS
- 2022–Reviewer of optical/infrared telescope proposals for the European Southern Observatory
- 2022–Inaugural associate member, Center of Astronomy, Space Science and Astrophysics, Independent University, Bangladesh (the first astronomy research centre in Bangladesh)
- 2021–Referee for Nature, ApJ, MNRAS, Advances in Space Research, and Astrophysics and Space Science
- 2021–Life member, Astronomical Society of India
- 2021–2023Core member, Diversity in Science Committee, MBRAS. Led a nationwide survey on factors affecting the retention of women scientists in the UAE
- 2021–2023Lecturer, annual Astronomy Camps for students in the UAE, NYU Abu Dhabi
- 2018–Member of the LeMMINGs (e-MERLIN) and ThunderKAT (MeerKAT) collaborations
- 2017–2023Guided NYU Abu Dhabi students on astronomy trips to the Sharjah Planetarium
- 2013–2017Outreach volunteer, Radboud University telescope nights
- 2011–Public talks on astrophysics reaching more than 3,500 students in India
- 2010–Global coordinator, SPIC MACAY youth cultural movement (1,000+ chapters worldwide)
- 2010–2020Science, space and travel blog with more than 35,000 readers
Technical skills
- ProgrammingPython, IDL; basics of C and Fortran
- AstronomyCASA, AIPS, IRAF, DAOPHOT, ds9, TOPCAT, Gasgano, XSPEC
- SystemsmacOS, UNIX/Linux, Windows, LaTeX
Publications
68 refereed papers published or accepted, including 10 as first author, plus 5 more submitted. 87 Astronomer’s Telegrams and GCN circulars, 17 as first author. Google Scholar, as of 15 October 2026: 1,429 citations, h-index 21, i10-index 37.