Joseph Neilsen Curriculum Vitae - MIT Kavli Institute for ...

Joseph Neilsen Curriculum Vitae
Contact
Information
Research
Interests
Education
and
Employment
Honors and
Awards
MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics Phone: (617) 492-2234
and Space Research Fax: (617) 495-7356
77 Massachusetts Avenue E-mail: jneilsen@space.mit.edu
NE80-6079 Web: http://space.mit.edu/~jneilsen
Cambridge, MA 02139
• Accretion disks, accretion onto black holes and neutron stars
• (X-ray) Spectral variability, accretion instabilities, and disk winds
• High-resolution spectroscopy as a probe of black hole environments
MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space 2011−
Research
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Postdoctoral Associate in High-Resolution X-ray Astrophysics
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA 2006−2011
PhD, Astronomy
• Graduation date: May 2011
• Thesis Topic: “Winds of Change: The Physics of Accretion, Ejection,
and X-ray Variability in GRS 1915+105”
• Advisor: Professor Julia C. Lee
AM, Astronomy, May 2008
Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio, USA 2002−2006
BA, Physics and Mathematics, May 2006
• Summa Cum Laude – Grade point average 3.97/4.0
• Distinction in Mathematics
NASA Postdoctoral Fellowship (declined) 2011
Edwin L. Fireman Fellowship, Harvard University 2011
AAS Rodger Doxsey Prize 2011
Merit Fellowship, Harvard University 2010
Derek Bok Certificate of Distinction in Teaching 2008, 2010
AAS Chambliss Graduate Student Achievement Award 2007
James Mills Peirce Fellowship, Harvard University 2006
Phi Beta Kappa, Beta of Ohio Chapter September 2005
Sigma Xi Honor Society (Denison College Chapter) 2005
Barry M. Goldwater Fellowship 2005
Kenyon College Science Scholar 2002−2006

Research
Experience
Teaching
Experience
Service and
Outreach
Grants and
Accepted
Proposals
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 2006−2011
Advisor: Professor Julia C. Lee
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, 2006−2007
Massachusetts
Advisors: Dr. Saeqa Dil Vrtilek and Dr. Daniel Steeghs
American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York 2005
Advisors: Dr. Jason Maron and Dr. Mordecai-Mark Mac Low
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, 2004
Massachusetts
Advisor: Dr. Saeqa Dil Vrtilek
Undergraduate supervising under Prof. Julia Lee: 2008-2011
Cole Dutcher, Andrew J. Petschek (led to papers for ApJ, MNRAS)
Head Teaching Fellow, Astronomy 17, Harvard University Fall 2009
Teaching Fellow, Astronomy 7, Harvard University Spring 2008
Teaching Fellow, Science A-47, Harvard University Fall 2007
Teaching Assistant, Astronomy 107, Kenyon College 2003
Referee: Nature, A&A 2009−Present
Public Lectures, “Black Hole Extravaganza Days.” 2009
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, Concord, New Hampshire
Astronomy Volunteer, “Cambridge Explores the Universe.” 2009
Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Science Consultant, “Black Holes: Space Twists and Time 2008−2009
Warps.” Museum of Science, Boston, Massachusetts.
Member: AmericanAstronomical Society 2004−Present
Testing the Wind-Jet Connection in a Black Hole Transient.
PI: Neilsen. 120 ks, approved Chandra Cycle 13, not yet triggered.
Funding: $49,149.
Measuring EmissionGeometry, InterstellarDust, andDistancewith Chandra
HETGS Observations of EXO 2030+375.
PI: Xiang; Co-Is: Lee, Nowak, Neilsen. 60 ks, approved Chandra Cycle
13, not yet observed.
The Wandering Warp of SMC X-1

Refereed
Publications
PI: Neilsen. 180 ks, approved Suzaku Cycle 6; 136 ks already observed.
Results pending.
Measuring the GRS 1915+105 Black Hole Spin and Broadband Continuum
Properties
PI: Lee; Co-Is Neilsen, Remillard et al. 25 ks, approved Suzaku Cycle 4,
5, and 6, but not triggered.
4U 1957+11: The Lowest-Mass, Fastest-Spinning Stellar Black Hole?
PI: McClintock; Co-Is Steiner, Lee, Neilsen et al. 120 ks, approved
Suzaku Cycle 5. Observed 2010. Results pending.
A Long Multiwavelength Study of GRS 1915+105: Accretion and Ejection
Physics of the Disk Wind and Radio Jet.
PI: Neilsen. 120 ks, approved Chandra Cycle 12, triggered June 2011.
Results pending. Funding: $45,054.
Neilsen, J., R. A. Remillard, and J. C. Lee. “The Physics of the ‘Heartbeat’
State of GRS 1915+105.” The Astrophysical Journal 737 (2011):
69-88.
Cantrell, A. G., C. D. Bailyn, J. A. Orosz, J. E. McClintock, R. A. Remillard,
C. S. Froning, J. Neilsen, D. M. Gelino, and L. Gou. “The Inclination
of the Soft X-Ray Transient A0620-00 and the Mass of its Black
Hole.” The Astrophysical Journal 710 (2010): 1127-1141.
Calvelo, D. E., S. D. Vrtilek, D. Steeghs, M. A. P. Torres, J. Neilsen,
A. V. Fillipenko, andJ. I. GonzalezHernandez. “Doppler andModulation
Tomography of XTE J1118+480 in Quiescence.” Monthly Notices of the
Royal Astronomical Society 399 (2009): 539-549.
Neilsen, J., J. C. Lee, M. A. Nowak, K. Dennerl, and S. D. Vrtilek.
“Spectroscopic Signatures of the Superorbital Period in the Neutron Star
Binary LMC X-4.” The Astrophysical Journal 696 (2009): 182-191.
Neilsen, J. and J. C. Lee. “Accretion disk winds as the jet suppression
mechanism in the microquasar GRS 1915+105.” Nature 458 (2009): 481-
484.
Neilsen, J., D. Steeghs, and S. D. Vrtilek. “The Eccentric Accretion Disc
of the Black Hole A0620-00.” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical
Society 384 (2008): 849-862.
Neilsen, J., R. C. Hickox., and S. D. Vrtilek. ‘Phase Variation in the

Publications
Under Review
Conference
Proceedings
Publications
in
Preparation
Conferences
and Invited
Talks
Pulse Profiles of SMC X-1.” The Astrophysical Journal 616 (2004): L135-
L138.
Neilsen, J., A. J. Petschek, and J. C. Lee. “Accretion Disk Wind Variability
in GRS 1915+105.” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical
Society, 2011, in press. arxiv.org/abs/1112.1066
Neilsen, J., R. A. Remillard, and J. C. Lee. “Radiation Pressure and
Mass Ejection in the ρ State of GRS 1915+105.” The Astrophysical Journal
(2011).
Ponti, G., R. Fender, M. Begelman, R. J. H. Dunn, J. Neilsen, and
M. Coriat. “Ubiquitous equatorial accretion disk winds in black hole soft
states.” Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2011).
Neilsen, J., J. C. Lee and R. A. Remillard. “The Physics of Disk Winds,
Jets, and X-ray Variability in GRS 1915+105.” In IAU Symposium 275:
Jets at all Scales, ed. G. E. Romero, R. A. Sunyaev, and T. Belloni.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011
Neilsen, J. and J. Homan. “Photoionization and MHD Winds in GRO
J1655-40.” Fall 2011.
Altamirano, D., M. Mendez, and J. Neilsen. “XMM-Newton Spectroscopy
of IGR J17091-3624: Comparisons with GRS 1915+105.” Fall
2011.
Neilsen, J., J. Homan, and M. Buxton. “Unusual Infrared Activity in
the 2005 outburst of GRO J1655-40.” Spring 2012.
Proga, D., J. Neilsen, and J. C. Lee. ‘On the Production of Radiativelyand
Thermally-driven Winds in Response to Strong X-ray Variability.”
Spring 2012.
Neilsen, J., T. R. Kallman, and J. C. Lee. “The Copper-Rich Disk Wind
of GRS 1915+105.” Summer 2012.
Neilsen, J., C. Dutcher, and J. C. Lee. “Ionized Emission Lines and
the Disappearance of Super-Eddington Flares at Periastron in Cir X-1.”
Summer 2012.
Winds, Jets and State Transitions in a Long (Jul 2012)
Multiwavelength Look at GRS 1915+105
39 th COSPAR Assembly. Mysore, India. Invited Talk.

Spectroscopy of XRB/States (Jun 2012)
XRBs: Celebrating 50 Years Since the Discovery of
Sco X-1. Boston, Massachusetts. Invited Talk.
State Transitions and MHD Winds in (Jan 2012)
GRO J1655–40
219 th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society.
Austin, Texas. Contributed Talk.
GRS 1915+105: An X-ray Spectroscopic Study May 2011
of Outflows
218 th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society.
Meeting in a Meeting, “12 Years of Science with Chandra.”
Boston, Massachusetts. Invited Talk.
Linking Variability in the Accretion Disk Wind May 2011
and Radio Jet in the β State of GRS 1915+105
218 th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society.
Boston, Massachusetts. Contributed Talk.
Oscillation-Phase-Resolved Spectroscopy February 2011
in the IXO Era
Fast X-ray Timing and Spectroscopy at Extreme Count Rates.
Champery, Switzerland. Contributed Talk.
The Physics of Disk Winds, Jets, and Fast January 2011
X-ray Variability in the Microquasar
GRS 1915+105
217 th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society.
Seattle, Washington. Dissertation Talk.
The Physics of Disk Winds, Radiation Pres- November 2010
sure, and X-ray Variability in GRS 1915+105
The Ins and Outs of Black Holes. Annapolis, Maryland.
Contributed Talk.
The Physics of Disk Winds, Jets, and X-ray September 2010
Variability in GRS 1915+105
IAU 275: Jets at all Scales. Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Contributed Talk.
The Physics of the ‘Heartbeat’ State of the March 2010
Microquasar GRS 1915+105

11 th HEAD Meeting. Waikoloa, Hawaii. Contributed Talk.
The Chandra HETGS View of Disk-Jet Coupling January 2010
in the Microquasar GRS 1915+105
215 th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society. Washington,
D.C. Contributed Talk.
Spectral Variability in the Microquasar November 2009
GRS 1915+105
New England Regional Accreting Binaries Annual Meeting.
Cambridge, Massachusetts. Contributed Talk.
The HETGS View of the Microquasar GRS September 2009
1915+105: Fast Spectral Variability and the
Disk-Jet Connection
Chandra’s First Decade of Discovery. Boston, Massachusetts.
Contributed Talk.
The High-Resolution X-ray View of Disk-Jet September 2008
Coupling in GRS 1915+105
7 th Microquasar Workshop. Foça, Turkey. Contributed Talk.
References Prof. Julia C. Lee Prof. Claude R. Canizares
Associate Professor Bruno Rossi Professor of Physics
of Astronomy Vice President for Research and Associate
Provost
(Thesis Advisor) Associate Director for MIT of the
Chandra X-ray Observatory Center
Harvard University Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge, Massachusetts
jclee@cfa.harvard.edu crc@mit.edu
Prof. Christopher Reynolds Dr. Jeffrey E. McClintock
Professor and Chair of High- Senior Astrophysicist
Energy Initiative Harvard Smithsonian Center for
University of Maryland Astrophysics
College Park, Maryland Cambridge, Massachusetts
chris@astro.umd.edu jem@head.cfa.harvard.edu