I received a PhD in Physics from the University of Maryland, College Park in 1997, working at NASA/GSFC with Pete Serlemitsos (also working with Rich Mushotzky) on X-ray observations of starburst galaxies and low-luminosity active galactic nuclei. I am a member of the LSST galaxy and astrostatistics science teams. I am currently working on future strategic and explorer X-ray missions, particularly I am the NASA project scientist on both the NASA AXIS probe proposal and the ESA NewAthena mission concept. Prior to coming to GSFC I worked as a post-doc under Prof. Richard Griffiths at Carnegie-Mellon University (1997-2001) and as a research scientist at the Johns Hopkins University (2001-2010).
Andrew Francis Ptak
(Head)
| Email: | andrew.ptak@nasa.gov |
| Phone: | 301.286.1154 |
| Org Code: | 662 |
| Location: | Building 034 | Room C289 |
| Address: |
NASA/GSFC Mail Code 662 Greenbelt, MD 20771 |
| Employer: |
Brief Bio
Research Interests
Extragalatic X-ray Astrophysics
Astrophysics: X-ray AstrophysicsMy main research interests are in the X-ray properties of starburst galaxies, particularly hot gas and ultra-luminous X-ray sources (ULXs), and in active galactic nuclei. I am also interested in wide-area surveys and following up unusual sources with X-ray observations. I have a strong interest in astrophysics software development, having written an automated analysis program for Chandra and XMM-Newton data that produced one of the first serendipitous source catalogs for Chandra and XMM-Newton (https://asd.gsfc.nasa.gov/xassist/).
Current Projects
AXIS Project scientist
Astrobiology
Positions/Employment
Graduate Student in Physics
University of Maryland, College Park - College Park, MD
September 1992 - September 1997
Thesis title: X-ray Constraints on Accretion and Starburst Processes in Galatic Nuclei
Postdoctoral Research Scientist
Carnegie Mellon University - Pittsburgh, PA
October 1997 - July 2001
Associate Research Scientist
The Johns Hopkins University - Baltimore, MD
July 2001 - March 2010
Research Astrophysicist
NASA/GSFC - Greenbelt, MD
March 2010 - Present
NASA Athena Project Scientist
NASA - GSFC
January 2022 - Present
Acting HEASARC Director
NASA - GSFC
September 2023 - September 2024
NuSTAR Mission Scientist
NASA - GSFC
2018 - 2020
NuSTAR GOF Lead
NASA - GSFC
2014 - 2020
Professional Societies
AAS AAS HEAD
1993 - Present