CV

Click the pdf icon on the right to download my full updated CV. Last updated on Apr 8, 2026.

Contact Information

Name Aadya Agrawal
Professional Title PhD Candidate in Astronomy
Email aadyaa2@illinois.edu

Professional Summary

PhD candidate in astronomy at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, working on strongly lensed supernovae, time-delay cosmography, and JWST observations.

Experience

  • 2023 - Present

    Urbana-Champaign, IL

    Graduate Researcher
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    • Difference imaging and time-delay measurements for SN H0pe with JWST NIRCam
    • Lens model testing for PLCK G165.7+67.0 using lensed SN H0pe
    • SN Ia modelling with BAYESN and SALT3
    • Cosmological analysis for the SIRAH project combining ground-based and HST data
    • Mentoring 2 undergraduate students
  • 2022 - 2023

    Ann Arbor, MI

    Undergraduate Researcher
    University of Michigan – Dept. of Astronomy
    • Advisor: Dr. Joel Bregman
    • Cross-matched eFEDS with MCXC and Planck catalogs to identify new X-ray sources
    • Developed a detection algorithm for SZ peaks in Planck maps to find low-mass galaxy groups and clusters
  • 2019 - 2023

    Ann Arbor, MI

    Undergraduate Researcher
    University of Michigan – UROP
    • Advisor: Dr. Hui Deng
    • Built a microscope transfer stage to fabricate 2D heterostructures
    • Integrated TMD heterostructures onto 1D photonic crystal nanobeams and characterized them optically
    • Honors Thesis: Integration of Van der Waals heterostructures of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides with 1D photonic crystal nanobeams
  • 2023 - 2023

    Urbana-Champaign, IL

    Teaching Assistant – Astronomy 406: Galaxies and the Universe
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • 2023 - 2023

    Urbana-Champaign, IL

    Teaching Assistant – Astronomy 405: Planetary Science
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Education

  • 2023 - Present

    Urbana-Champaign, IL

    Doctor of Philosophy
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    Astronomy
    • Advisor: Prof. Gautham Narayan
    • GPA: 3.8/4.0
    • PhD Candidate as of September 2025
  • 2019 - 2023

    Ann Arbor, MI

    Bachelor of Science
    University of Michigan
    Physics and Astronomy
    • High Honors in Physics and Astronomy
    • GPA: 3.64/4.00
    • Honors Thesis Advisor: Dr. Hui Deng

Skills

Python (Expert): numpy, pandas, matplotlib, seaborn, astropy, scipy
Astronomy Software (Proficient): BAYESN, SALT3, SNCOSMO, HEALPY, JWST Pipeline, SPACEPHOT, WebbPSF, HOTPANTS, PyZOGY
Data Reduction & Analysis (Proficient): Difference imaging, photometry, JWST NIRCam
LaTeX (Expert): Research papers, academic documents