Priyashkumar Mistry

I am Priyashkumar Mistry, a PhD candidate in Physics (Astrophysics) at the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney), Australia, under the supervision of Prof. Chris Tinney and A/Prof. Ben Montet. My PhD research focuses on measuring the masses of exoplanets discovered by NASA's TESS mission using the Veloce high-resolution spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope. My work involves CCD detector characterisation, improving the Veloce data-processing pipeline, and adapting radial-velocity extraction methods to obtain precise stellar radial velocities and determine exoplanet masses.

Before beginning my PhD, I completed my Integrated MSc in Physics at the Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology (SVNIT), Surat, India, in September 2022. Before commencing my PhD, I independently established VaTEST (Validation of Transiting Exoplanets using Statistical Tools), a research collaboration focused on the discovery, validation, and characterisation of exoplanets. As its founder and research lead, I have led three first-author publications reporting the statistical validation of 20 TESS exoplanet candidates and contributed to additional research through international collaborations. I continue to lead VaTEST alongside my PhD research.

My broader research interests include exoplanet discovery and characterisation, transit photometry, precision radial velocities, high-resolution spectroscopy, transit timing variations, astronomical instrumentation, detector physics, and computational and observational astrophysics, including numerical simulations.

I have also been a member of the TESS Follow-up Observing Program (TFOP), participating in Sub-Group 1 (Seeing-Limited Photometry) since March 2023 and Sub-Groups 2 (Reconnaissance Spectroscopy) and 4 (Precise Radial Velocities) since April 2024.

Achievements

School of Physics Research Expo (2026), held at the School of Physics, University of New South Wales. Won the first prize for best poster in the PhD/Taste of Research category. (28th October, 2026) (Poster Link)
School of Physics Research Expo (2025), held at the School of Physics, University of New South Wales. Won the first prize for best poster in the PhD/Taste of Research category. (11th November, 2025) (Poster Link)
Physics Top-Up Scholarship for 2024. Awarded to one PhD student per year on the basis of academic merit at the School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. (16th January, 2025)
University International Postgraduate Award (UIPA) for study towards a PhD in the Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. (3rd July, 2023)

Research and Conference Fundings

Burbage Astronomy Student Fund (BASF), a bequest to support HDR students in astronomy, with an emphasis on exoplanet studies. The fund allows the astronomy faculty to award funds in support of HDR students' research and professional development. (1st October, 2026)
Burbage Astronomy Student Fund (BASF), a bequest to support HDR students in astronomy, with an emphasis on exoplanet studies. The fund allows the astronomy faculty to award funds in support of HDR students' research and professional development. (17th April, 2025)
Development and Research Training Grant (DRTG), a centrally funded Grant-in-Aid programme that supports mid- to late-stage candidates in advancing their career development by funding skill development activities. (31st March, 2025)

First time on the observation deck at Siding Spring Observatory, Anglo-Australian Telescope, Coonabarabran, Australia

Convocated from SVNIT, Surat

I received an Integrated Master of Science degree in Physics and achieved a GPA of 9.04, placing 12th (out of 41) in my class. I am proud of my academic accomplishments and look forward to applying my knowledge and skills in my future endeavors.

- 21st February, 2023