MSc research contribution
Supervised spectrograph feedback-control work involving instrumentation, sensing, experimental logging, and control-system analysis.
Open to PhD & research opportunities
Biswajit Jana | MSc Astrophysicist
Precision instrumentation · Closed-loop feedback systems · Scientific computing
I work at the boundary between astrophysics, electronics engineering, and experimental measurement. My portfolio brings together supervised instrumentation research, browser-based scientific tools, observational analysis, and technical writing for astronomy and physics.
- Closed-loop control
- Astrophysical simulations
- Precision instrumentation
- Browser-based tools
At a glance
Academic snapshot
A concise view of my research profile, outputs, and current direction.
Peer-reviewed publications
Engineering and instrumentation-related publications, including visible-light communication and embedded-system work.
Scientific computing
Browser-based astronomy tools, numerical simulations, and interactive data-visualisation platforms.
Science writing
Paper notes, systematic explainers, visual science posts, and research logging.
Current objective
Open to PhD and research opportunities in astronomical instrumentation, exoplanets, and scientific computing.
About
Between physics, engineering, and measurement
I sit where the hardware ends and the data begins — and I like problems that need both halves to be right.
I hold an MSc in Astrophysics with Advanced Research from the University of Hertfordshire and a BTech in Electronics and Communication Engineering. The electronics background gives me practical grounding in hardware, sensors, embedded systems, signal handling, and experimental setups; the astrophysics background gives me training in measurement problems, data analysis, physical interpretation, and astronomical systems.
My interest is in building bridges between instruments, data acquisition, control systems, and scientific interpretation. Alongside research, I develop unified astronomical dashboards and interactive open-science tools to make scientific workflows more visual and inspectable.
- 2022–24MSc Astrophysics with Advanced ResearchUniversity of Hertfordshire — supervised instrumentation and feedback-control research.
- 2024SEPnet placement — Lumi SpaceDetector performance analysis for satellite laser ranging.
- 2017–21BTech Electronics & Communication EngineeringUniversity of Engineering and Management — electronics, embedded systems, communications.
Capabilities
Technical skills matrix
A capability map drawn from my MSc research, placements, and engineering background — grouped as on my CV.
Instrumentation & control
- Laser optics & interferometry
- IDS3010 displacement sensing
- RV spectrograph stabilisation
- Environmental control (TEC)
- Optical alignment
- Adaptive optics correction
- PID / closed-loop control
- Grafana / InfluxDB dashboards
Programming & data analysis
- Python · JavaScript · MATLAB
- C/C++ · SQL · Bash
- NumPy · SciPy · pandas
- Matplotlib · Astropy
- lightkurve · DACE
- FITS workflows · Jupyter
- Time-series analysis
- Git · LaTeX · Overleaf
Hardware & domains
- Arduino · Raspberry Pi · NodeMCU
- PSoC · embedded boards
- Serial · RS-232 / RS-485
- MaxIm DL · Simulink
- Exoplanet & RV analysis
- Brown-dwarf / substellar work
- Satellite laser ranging
- Observational-data workflows
Selected research highlights
Supervised research & analysis
Specific, academically honest summaries — each links out to repositories, theses, talks, or publications for inspection.
MSc research · Supervised
MSc research contribution to supervised spectrograph feedback-control work
As part of my MSc research at the University of Hertfordshire, I contributed to supervised work on closed-loop feedback control for the EXOhSPEC high-resolution spectrograph project, with emphasis on instrumentation, sensing, experimental logging, and control-system analysis.
Supervised by Prof. Hugh Jones and Prof. Bill Martin.
Survey data · Team project
Halo T-dwarf candidate research
Investigated candidate halo T dwarfs and substellar populations using VISTA, DES and WISE survey data. Supervised by Prof. David Pinfield; presented as a joint project talk.
SEPnet placement · Lumi Space
Satellite laser ranging detector study
Studied detector performance for satellite laser ranging, including microbolometer feasibility, atmospheric transmission and link-budget analysis.
BTech project · Published
Visible light communication system
A dimming-controlled visible light communication system on Raspberry Pi with optical and electronic hardware — undergraduate engineering work, published in Optical and Quantum Electronics.
Proof trail
Selected outputs
Where to inspect the evidence directly.
Open science tools
Scientific computing output
Browser-based, client-side astronomy tools — interactive simulation and visualisation that run in the browser with nothing to install. Each opens in its own page.
Live · FeaturedBrowser-based · interactive
Black Hole Accretion Simulator
A browser-based visualisation of accretion disks around a black hole, built to explain relativistic effects interactively — runs client-side with nothing to install.
More interactive tools
The full picture
85 repositories. One GitHub.
Exoplanet reports, detection methods, interactive labs, and research platforms — searchable, filterable, and mapped as one connected body of work.
Writing & science communication
Communicating the science
Paper notes, a research blog, and visual explainers — written to be read by curious scientists, not skimmed.
Paper notes
Structured, active reading notes on radial-velocity instrumentation, brown dwarfs, optics and exoplanet science.
Research blog
Technical science writing on instrumentation, exoplanets, spectra, cosmology and the work of measurement.
Visual gallery
Conceptual astronomy visuals and science explainers for outreach and communication.
Relativity
Gravitational waves
When spacetime itself starts ringing.
Exoplanets
The transit method
How tiny dips in starlight reveal planets.
Astrophysics
Pulsars
The cosmic lighthouses of the deep.
Relativity
Black holes
What happens when gravity wins.
Notebook
More on the blog
Explainers, paper notes and writing.
Conceptual visuals are used for communication and outreach; they are not presented as observational data or experimental results.
Optional
Playground
Optional astronomy curiosities — approximate, educational, and separate from the academic sections above.