Welcome to my Website!
Research Interests
• Wide-Field surveys (AGNs, Galaxies, CV, White dwarfs and hot subdwarfs)
• Active Galactic Nuclei and Quasars (Central Engine and Environment)
• Compact Groups of Galaxies
• Observational Astronomy
My main area of study is the multiwavelength observations and interpretation of the processes going on around supermassive black holes (BH): the nature of the power source in active galactic nuclei (AGNs); the cosmological evolution of supermassive BH and their host galaxies, and relationships with environment in small and large scales. One of my long-term interests has been variability of the radiation from AGNs to probe what is going on around the supermassive BH (structure and kinematics of the broad/narrow-line emission regions) and power generation.
Education
1995 Ph.D. (Physics & Mathematics, Specialisations - Astronomy & Radio Astronomy) Special Astrophysical Observatory, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia. Thesis: Second Byurakan Sky Survey: Quasistellar objects. Supervisor: Dr. J.A. Stepanian.
1986 M.Sc. (Physics. Specialisation - Astrophysics. Qualification - Physics & Astronomy Teacher) Yerevan State University, Department of Astrophysics, Armenia. Thesis: Spectral and photometrical investigation of the dwarf irregular galaxies Markarian 773 and Markarian 1006. Supervisors: Prof. E.Y. Khachikian and Dr. A.R. Petrossian.
1984 B.Sc. (Physics) Yerevan State University, Faculty of Physics, Armenia. Thesis: HII regions in Barred Galaxies. Supervisor: Prof. H.M. Tovmassian.
Publications
Professional Experience
Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Optica y Electronica (CONACyT, Mexico)
From 2012: Investigador Titular C - Tenured Research Professor
2009-2012: Investigador Titular B - Research Associate Professor
2006-2009: Investigador Titular B - Research Associate Professor
2003-2006: Investigador Titular A - Research Assistant Professor
2000-2003: Investigador Titular A - Research Assistant Professor
1998-1999: Cátedra Patrimonial Nivel II, Investigador Titular "A" (Invited Research Assistant Professor)
Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian (Cambridge, Massachusetts, US)
2022-2023: Fulbright Research Scholar
Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
2004-2005: Associate Research Professor. On sabbatical leave from INAOE
Special Astrophysical Observatory (Russian Academy of Sciences)
1996-1997: Senior researcher
1995-1997: Responsible astronomer for SAO RAS 60 cm telescope modernization and automatization group
1994-1995: Researcher
1991-1993: Junior researcher
Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (Armenian Academy of Sciences)
1989 -1991: Head of 1 m Byurakan Schmidt telescope laboratory
1996-1997: Senior researcher
1994-1995: Researcher
1991-1993: Junior researcher
1988-1990: Postgraduate student
1986-1987: Assistant Astronomer
Teaching
Graduate-level
A107: General Astronomy (INAOE) – Fall: 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009
A110: Observational Astronomy and Instrumentation (INAOE) – Spring: 2003, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2015 - 2022
Observational Lab (Photometry and Spectroscopy) – Spring: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006
A 401: Research seminar (INAOE) - Summer: 2010 - 2012
A 322: Frontier topics in Astrophysics - Summer 2014, 2016 - 2019
A 403 Advanced course: Extragalactic astronomy II (INAOE) - Fall 2013, 2015 - 2022
A 404 Advanced course: Interstellar Medium (INAOE) - Fall 2012
Advanced course (IA UNAM - Ensenada and IRyA - Morelia) Active Galactic Nuclei - 2016
Undergraduate & Graduate students supervising
Summer Research Program & Professional Residence - 20
Bachelor of Science (BSc) - 10
Master of Science (MSc) - 9
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - 8
Assistant supervisor
Master of Science (MSc) - 2
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - 2
Visiting Researcher
The University of Texas at San Antonio (USA): 2015
Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie (Germany): 2004, 05, 08, 10
Hamburger Sternwarte (Germany): 2002
Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Optica y Electronica (Mexico): 1996, 97
Grants
2022 - 2023: Fulbright-Garcias Robles (Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian). Spectroscopic identification of associated and unassociated gamma-ray sources. Multi-wavelength analysis of Flat-Spectrum Radio Quasars.
2017- 2023: CONACyT Basic Research Grant (México) No. 280789-F: Estudio de la Maquinaria Central en Galaxias Activas. II.
2011-2015: CONACyT Basic Research Grant (México) No. 151494-F: Estudio de la Maquinaria Central en Galaxias Activas.
2007-2010: CONACyT Basic Research Grant (México) No. 54480-F: Estudio Radio-Óptico de la Maquinaria Central en Galaxias Activas Radio-Fuertes.
2003-2006: CONACyT Basic Research grant (México) No. 39560-F: Programa de monitoreo espectro-fotométrico de Núcleos Activos de Galaxias.
1999-2002: CONACyT Basic Research grant (México) No. 28499-F: Segunda exploración de Byurakan, desarrollo de una base de datos completa de galaxias Seyfert y otros tipos de NAG.
1995-1997: Russian Foundation for Basic Research grant (Russia): Faint Markarian Galaxies of the Second Byurakan Survey.
1993-1995: ESO C&CE program grant (EU): Second Byurakan Survey - Quasars.
1991-1992: American Astronomical Society grant (USA): Blue stellar objects from the Second Byurakan Survey.
Observational Experience
Spectroscopy, Imaging (optical and IR), and data reduction.
(More than 10,000 hours of observing time)
Yerevan State University Observatory (Armenia) - 0.4 m telescope
Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (Armenia) - 1 m Schmidt and 2.6 m telescopes
Special Astrophysical Observatory (Russia) - 0.6 m, 1 m and 6 m telescopes
Observatorio Astrofísico de Guillermo Haro (Cananea, México) - 2.1 m telescope
Observatorio Astronomico Nacional (SPM, México) - 0.84 m, 1.5 m and 2.1 m telescopes
Observatorio Astronomico Nacional (Tonantzintla, México) - 1m telescope
Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (La Palma, Spain) - 2.5 m Nordic Optical Telescope
Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (La Palma, Spain) - 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias
European Southern Observatory (Cerro Paranal, Chile) - 8.2 m Very Large Telescope (VLT)
Very Long Baseline interferometry (VLBI) - The Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA)