Neil T. Zimmerman

Postdoctoral Research Associate Jan 2014 – Present High Contrast Imaging Laboratory Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Princeton University Princeton, NJ [email protected] http://neilzim.net

Professional Experience Postdoctoral Fellow Oct 2011 – Dec 2013 Max Planck Institute for Astronomy Heidelberg, Germany

Education Ph.D., Astronomy Oct 2011 Columbia University New York, NY M.Phil., Astronomy May 2008 Columbia University New York, NY M.E., Electrical Engineering May 2006 The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art New York, NY B.E., Electrical Engineering, Summa Cum Laude May 2004 The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art New York, NY

Postdoctoral Research • Designed a new coronagraph for WFIRST-AFTA optimized for broadband IFS spectroscopy of gas giants. • Developed a low-order wavefront sensor concept applicable to very high-contrast coronagraphy. • Measured the infrared spectral energy distribution of the directly-imaged Jovian analog GJ 504 b. • Made a data pipeline for LEECH, a thermal infrared imaging survey at LBT, and delivered the first sensitivity verifications to the collaboration. • Revised the science case for ESPRI, an astrometric exoplanet survey with the VLT Interferometer. • Calibrated a bimorph deformable mirror for the wavefront sensor testbed of the ESO’s GRAVITY instru- ment.

Ph.D. Thesis: High-Contrast Observations with an Integral Field Spectrograph • Confirmed the physical association of Alcor’s M-dwarf companion through a novel relative technique. • Designed and implemented the data extraction and calibration software for Project 1640, a coronagraphic integral field spectrograph. • Carried out the first combined aperture mask + integral field spectrograph observation.

Practical Skills • Observation: natural guide adaptive optics, integral field spectroscopy, coronagraphy, and aperture mask interferometry with Project 1640 at the Hale Telescope; infrared angular differential imaging with LMIRCam on the LBT; narrow-angle astrometry with the PRIMA facility at the ESO VLT Interferom- eter; aperture synthesis radio imaging with the NRAO VLA; conventional optical imaging and long-slit spectroscopy. • Instrumentation and engineering: High-contrast imaging data processing and starlight subtraction algo- rithms; deformable mirror control; optical surface figure measurements via pupil-shearing interferometry; ray trace and Fresnel propogation simulations; optimization with genetic algorithms; antenna simulation and testing; water Chereknov cosmic ray detection; analog and digital circuit design and testing. • Programming: Python, Matlab, C, IDL, Perl.

Notable Publications • “The LBT LEECH Exoplanet Imaging Survey: Characterization of the First T-Dwarf Exoplanet, GJ 504 b” by Skemer, A.; Zimmerman, N.; & LEECH Science Team, in prep. • “Coronagraph-Integrated Wavefront Sensing with a Sparse Aperture Mask” by Subedi, H.; Zimmer- man, N.; Kasdin, N. J.; Cavanagh, K.; Riggs, A.J. E., submitted to the SPIE Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems. • “Reconnaissance of the HR 8799 Exosolar System I: Near IR Spectroscopy” by Oppenheimer, B. R.; Baranec, C.; Beichman, C.; Brenner, D.; Burruss, R.; Cady, E.; Crepp, J. R.; Dekany, R.; Fergus, R.; Hale, D.; Hillenbrand, L.; Hinkley, S.; Hogg, David W.; King, D.; Ligon, E. R.; Lockhart, T.; Nilsson, R.; Parry, I. R.; Pueyo, L.; Rice, E.; Roberts, J. E.; Roberts, L. C., Jr.; Shao, M.; Sivaramakrishnan, A.; Soummer, R.; Truong, T.; Vasisht, G.; Veicht, A.; Vescelus, F.; Wallace, J. K.; Zhai, C.; Zimmerman, N., The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 768, Issue 1, article id. 24, 16 pp. (2013). • “Aperture mask interferometry with an integral field spectrograph” by Zimmerman, N.; Sivaramakrish- nan, A.; Bernat, David; Oppenheimer, B. R.; Hinkley, S.; Lloyd, J. P.; Tuthill, P. G.; Brenner, D.; Parry, I. R.; Simon, M.; Krist, J. E.; Pueyo, L., Proceedings of the SPIE, Volume 8445, pp. id. 84452G-84452G-15 (2012). • “A Data Pipeline for a Coronagraphic Integral Field Spectrograph” by Zimmerman, N.; Brenner, D.; Oppenheimer, B. R.; Parry, I. R.; Hinkley, S.; Hunt, S.; Roberts, R., Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, Volume 123, Issue 904, pp. 746-763 (2011). • “Parallactic Motion for Companion Discovery: An M-Dwarf Orbiting Alcor” by Zimmerman, N.; Op- penheimer, B. R.; Hinkley, S.; Brenner, D.; Parry, I. R.; Sivaramakrishnan, A.; Hillenbrand, L.; Beichman, C.; Crepp, J. R.; Vasisht, G.; Roberts, L. C.; Burruss, R.; King, D. L.; Soummer, R.; Dekany, R.; Shao, M.; Bouchez, A.; Roberts, J. E.; and Hunt, S., The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 709, Issue 2, pp. 733-740 (2010). • “Project 1640: A New High Contrast Imaging Program at Palomar Observatory” by Hinkley, S.; Oppen- heimer, B. R.; Zimmerman, N.; Brenner, D.; Parry, I. R.; Crepp, J. R.; Vasisht, G.; Ligon, E.; King, D.; Soummer, R.; Sivaramakrishnan, A.; Beichman, C.; Shao, M.; Roberts, L. C.; Bouchez, A.; Dekany, R.; Pueyo, L.; Roberts, J. E.; Lockhart, T.; Zhai, C.; Burruss, R., Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, Volume 123, issue 899, pp. 74-86 (2011). • “The Solar System Scale Disk around AB Aurigae” by Oppenheimer, B. R.; Brenner, D.; Hinkley, S.; Zimmerman, N.; Sivaramakrishnan, A.; Soummer, R.; Kuhn, J. R.; Graham, J. R.; Perrin, M.; Lloyd, J. P.; Roberts, L. C.; Harrington, D. M., The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 679, Issue 2, pp. 1574-1581 (2008). • “Transient Pulsed Radio Emission from a Magnetar” by Camilo, F.; Ransom, S. M.; Halpern, J. P.; Reynolds, J.; Helfand, D. J.; Zimmerman, N.; Sarkissian, J., Nature, Vol. 442, Issue 7105, pp. 892-895 (2006).

Internal Memos and Presentations • “Memo: Summary of shaped pupil optimizations for Genet survey” by Zimmerman, N. (25 Nov 2014). • “WFIRST-AFTA Coronagraph Science-Engineering Meeting presentation: Update on shaped pupil coro- nagraph designs” by Zimmerman, N.; Riggs, A.J.; Kasdin, N. J.; Carlotti, A.; Vanderbei, R. (2 Sep 2014). • “WFIRST-AFTA Coronagraph Design Team Meeting presentation: Shaped pupil / Lyot stop design update” by Zimmerman, N., Riggs, A.J.; Kasdin, N. J.; Carlotti, A.; Vanderbei, R. (20 May 2014). • “Memo on RV planet detection times for AFTA coronagraph models” by Zimmerman, N. (5 Mar 2014). • “Memo on equivalent contrast of CCD read noise for the AFTA coronagraph” by Zimmerman, N. (24 Feb 2014). • “Exoplanet science with PRIMA in the era of Gaia and E-ELT” by Launhardt, R.; Zimmerman, N.,& ESPRI Science Team (22 Aug 2013). • “ESPRI Technical Memo on the feasibility of inferring M1–M2 flexure with a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor” by Zimmerman, N. (10 Jan 2013). • “SPHERE Data Analysis meeting — KLIP for IFS data: a preliminary demonstration” by Zimmerman, N. (12 Dec 2012). • “GRAVITY Technical Progress Report: Wavefront sensor subsystem — Deformable mirror” by Zimmer- man, N. (29 May 2012). • “Early ESPRI GTO: Technical requirements and strategy (European Southern Observatory Doc. No. VLT-PLA-AOS-15759-0005)” by Launhardt, R., Zimmerman, N., & ESPRI Science Team (16 May 2012). • “ESPRI Data Analysis Working Group Memo — Constraints on Astrometric Bias: Comparison of the Simultaneous PRIMA and NACO Measurements of p Eridani during Comm. #17” by Zimmerman, N. (8 Mar 2012). • “ESPRI Memo on Commissioning, Early Science Targets, and Minimum Requirements for GTO” by Zimmerman, N.; Launhardt, R.; Mohler, M.; M¨uller,A. (7 Dec 2011).

Successful Observing Proposals • “Characterizing the First T-dwarf Exoplanet, GJ 504 b” by Skemer, A.; de Rosa, R.; Patience, J.; Apai, D.; Woodward, C.; Jones, T.; Zimmerman, N.; Hinz, P.; Skrutskie, M.; LEECH Science Team. Awarded 1 night on the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer in 2014A. • “Search for Protoplanets in Transition Disks with the Vortex Coronagraph” by Buenzli, E.; Henning, T.; Van Boeckel, R.; Olofsson, J.; Schlieder, J.; Zimmerman, N.; Bonnefoy, M.; Hinz, P.; Biller, B.; Skrutskie, M.; Thalmann, C. Awarded 4 hours on the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer in 2014A. • “ERA: revealing young by Radio Astrometry”’ by Launhardt, R.; Bower, G.; Dzib, S.; Henning, T.; Loinard, L.; Mioduszewski, A.; Ramirez, J.; Zimmerman, N. Awarded 28 hours on the NRAO Very Large Array in 2013B. • “Mid-IR imaging of an exoplanet orbiting a young solar analog” by Zimmerman, N.; Brandner, W.; Bonnefoy, M.; et al. Awarded 4 hours on the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer in 2013A. • “LBTI Exozodi Exoplanet Common Hunt — First LBT Direct Imaging Exoplanet Discoveries” by Biller, B.; Brandner, W.; Henning, T.; Bonnefoy, M.; Schlieder, J.; Zimmerman, N.; Hinz, P.; Skemer, A. Awarded 12 nights on the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer, distributed over four semesters from 2013—2014. Neil T. Zimmerman

Presentations to Professional Audiences

Talk at Wide-Field Infrared Surveys conference hosted by IPAC (Pasadena, CA) 18 Nov 2014 Astrophysics Research Seminar at American Museum of Nat. Hist. (New York, NY) 28 Oct 2014 Coffee seminar at Institute for Advanced Studies (Princeton, NJ) 26 Mar 2014 Poster at “Protostars and Planets VI” conference (Heidelberg, Germany) 18 July 2013 Seminar at Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (Heidelberg, Germany) 30 Jan 2013 Poster at “50 of Brown Dwarfs” conference (Ringberg Castle, Germany) 21 Oct 2012 Colloquium at Institut de Plan´etologieet d’Astrophysique de Grenoble (Grenoble, France) 9 Oct 2012 Poster at “Characterizing & Modeling Extrasolar Planetary Atmospheres” conference (Heidelberg, Germany) 16 July 2012 Poster at Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation SPIE meeting (Amsterdam, Netherlands) 4 July 2012 Astronomy Colloquium at Columbia University (New York, NY) 4 May 2011 Astronomy Seminar at Stony Brook University (Stony Brook, NY) 1 Dec 2010 Talk for “In the Sprit of Lyot” Conference, Universit´eParis Diderot (Paris, France) 25 Oct 2010 Seminar for SEEDS group meeting, Princeton University, (Princeton, NJ) 23 Aug 2010 Talk at Spring Astronomical Society of NY Meeting, Colgate University (Colgate, NY) 10 Apr 2010 Lunch Seminar, Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge University (Cambridge, UK) 17 Feb 2010 Poster for ”Life in the Universe” May Symposium at STScI (Baltimore, MD) 4 May 2009

Presentations to Popular Audiences

Uncovering Alcor’s Secret Astronomical Society of Long 17 Aug 2011 Island (Centerport, NY) Uncovering Alcor’s Secret Custer Observatory (Southold, NY) 17 Apr 2010 The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Columbia University (New York, NY) 22 Jan 2010 in the 21st Century Stardust to Sentience Mid-Hudson Astronomical 20 Oct 2009 Association (New Paltz, NY) The Arrow of Time Columbia University (New York, NY) 28 Mar 2008 Green Dragon in the East: Astronomy in The Cooper Union (New York, NY) 1 Mar 2005 Ancient and Imperial China Neil T. Zimmerman

Teaching and Public Outreach Activities

Lead organizer of astro exhibit Princeton University Spring 2014 at Princeton Communiversity Co-director of Public Outreach Columbia U. Dept. of Astronomy Fall 2006 – Fall 2009 Lead organizer of Harlem Sidewalk Columbia U. Dept. of Astronomy Spring 2009 – Spring 2011 Astronomy Project (9 events total) Volunteer for Friday Evening Public Columbia U. Dept. of Astronomy Fall 2005 – Spring 2011 Lectures/Stargazing (60 events total) Volunteer for Rooftop Variables Columbia U. Dept. of Astronomy Fall 2008 – Fall 2009 Teacher Training Program Miscellaneous talks and tours for K-12 Columbia U. Dept. of Astronomy, Fall 2005 – Spring 2011 groups and adults American Museum of Natural Hist. (30 events total) Instructor for introductory astronomy Columbia U. Dept. of Astronomy Fall 2005 – Spring 2008 laboratory courses Teaching Assistant for Linear The Cooper Union Fall 2004 Algebra course

Awards and Honors

• Referee for Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific • Travel grant for presentation at “Spirit of Lyot” Conference, Oct 2010 • Faculty Fellowship, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Columbia University, Fall 2005 – Spring 2007 • Yusuf Z. Efe Award for outstanding Master’s thesis, May 2006, The Cooper Union. • Leon Machiz Prize for graduating senior excellence in Electrical Engineering, May 2004, The Cooper Union. • Full tuition scholarships toward B.E. and M.E. in Electrical Engineering from The Cooper Union.