Born: Siófok, Hungary, February 27, 1976.
Current position:

National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA).

Education:

University (graduate): Eötvös Lóránd University (ELTE), Astrophysics Section, 2000­–2004. PhD completed in October, 2004 with summa cum laude. Adviser: Dr. G. Kovács.

University (graduate): Predoctoral Fellow at the CfA, 2001, 2002, 2003. Advisers: Prof. D. Sasselov and Prof. R. W. Noyes.

University (MSc): ELTE, astronomy, 1994­–2000. Adviser: Dr. G. Kovács.

University (MSc): ELTE, astro- and statistical physics, 1994­–2000. Adviser: Dr. G. Kovács.

Secondary school: Apáczai Csere János Gimnázium of Eötvös University, Budapest, specialized in natural sciences.

Appointments:

2007­–: National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, CfA. Supervisor: Dr. Robert W. Noyes. Topic: Search for extrasolar planets with the HAT Network.

2004­–2007: Hubble Postdoctoral Fellow, CfA. Supervisor: Dr. Krzysztof Stanek. Topic: Search for extrasolar planets with the HAT Network.

2001, 2002, 2003: Predoctoral fellow, CfA. Supervisors: Prof. Robert Noyes, Prof. Dimitar Sasselov. Topic: development and operation of HATNet, looking for planetary transits and all sky variability.

2000, 2001, 2002: Research fellow, Konkoly Observatory, Budapest, supervisor: Dr. Géza Kovács. Development and construction of an autonomous observatory (called HAT).

1998­–2000: Research assistant, Konkoly Observatory, supervisor: Dr. Géza Kovács.

1991­–1993: Observing assistant, Uránia Public Observatory, Budapest.

Short-term Fellowships:

1999 (two months): summer student, Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). Host: Dr. Kailash Sahu. Purpose: examination of high proper motion stars.

1998 (three and a half months): summer student, STScI, Host: Dr. Kailash Sahu.

Short visits:

Australian National University, Siding Springs, visit in 2008 for preparation for installation of HAT-South.

HESS observatory of Max Planck Institute, Namibia, 2 visits between 2007 and 2009 for installation of HAT-South.

Las Campanas Observatory, Chile, 2 visits between 2007 and 2009 for installation of HAT-South.

Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory (FLWO), Arizona. Approx 20 visits between 2002 and 2009. Installation and maintenance of multiple telescopes of the HAT Network.

Submillimeter Array, Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Approx 7 visits between 2004 and 2009. Installation and maintenance of multiple wide-field cameras of the HAT Network.

Princeton University Observatory, numerous visits between 2000 and 2006. Host: Prof. Bohdan Paczyński. Purpose of visit: designing fully automated telescopes for massive variability search.

Wise Observatory, visit in 2003. Host: Prof. Tsevi Mazeh. Purpose: installation of Wise HAT telescope.

Konkoly Observatory, Budapest. Numerous visits since 2003. Host: Dr. Géza Kovács. Purpose: collaboration on planetary transit search algorithms.

Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, approx. 6 visits in the period 2000 ­– 2003. Purpose: install HAT-1 telescope to Kitt Peak, and collaborate with U of A.

Awards:

2007: National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship

2007: Popular Science Annual Brilliant 10 Award (youngest awardee).

2004: Hubble Postdoctoral Fellowship

2003: Dan David prize of the Tel-Aviv University

1998, 1999, 2000: Scholarship of the Republic of Hungary

1999: "Eminent Student of the Faculty of Sciences" award at Eötvös University, Budapest.

1999: First prize at the bi-annual Scientific Conference of Hungarian University Students.

Grants:

NASA Origins grant, 2008–2011, “HATNet Detection and Characterization of Exoplanets Transiting Bright Stars”, PI, 565K USD.

NASA Origins grant, 2009–2013, “Operating a Global Network of Southern Hemisphere Automated Telescopes to Detect and Characterize a Multitude of Transiting Exoplanets”, PI, 921K USD.

NSF Major Research Instrumentation grant, 2007–2009, “Acquisition of a 3-station global network of automated telescopes to detect a large number of nearby transiting extrasolar planets”, PI, 719K USD.

Spitzer Space Telescope grant for HAT-P-2b Director’s Discretionary Time, 2007, PI, 99K USD

NASA Origins grant NNG04LG89G, 2004–2008, “Spreading the Net: A Network of Small Automated Telescopes for Detecting Transiting Extrasolar Planets” (PI: Dr. Noyes), Co-I, 800K USD

SAO IR&D proposal, “Preparations for HAT-South”, PI, 127K USD

JPL RSA, Keck, “Exploring the diversity of Exoplanets through confirmation spectroscopy I”, PI, 20K USD

JPL RSA, Keck, “Exploring the diversity of Exoplanets through confirmation spectroscopy II”, PI, 20K USD

JPL RSA, Keck, “Exploring the diversity of Exoplanets through confirmation spectroscopy III”, PI, 24K USD

JPL RSA, “New Transiting Exoplanets, Spitzer Target of Opportunity”, Co-I, 20K USD

Conferences:

"Keck Science meeting",

Pasadena, CA, 2009 September, talk.

"New Technologies for Probing the diversity of brown dwarfs and exoplanets",

Shanghai, 2009 July, talk.

"National Science Foundation Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellows symposium",

2009, Long Beach, CA, USA, talk.

"Transiting Planets, IAU Symposium 253",

2008, Cambridge, MA, USA, invited talk.

Transiting Extrasolar Planets Workshop,

2006, MPIA, Heidelberg, invited talks.

"Ground-based transit surveys, target selection and observing strategy",

2006, Geneva, invited review.

Aspen Conference on Planet Formation and Physics,

2005, Aspen, CO, poster.

Jenam,

2003, Budapest, invited talk.

IAP Coll. 200, Extrasolar Planets,

2003, Paris, poster.

Scientific Frontiers in Research on Extrasolar Planets,

2002, Washington D.C., poster.

IAU Coll. 183

, Kenting, Taiwan, 2001 (talk, poster), Small Telescope Astronomy on global scales (talk, poster, conf. series publication),

IAU Coll. 176

, Budapest, 1999 (poster), The Impact of Large-Scale Surveys on Pulsating Star Research (poster),

X. Winter School of the IAC

, Canary Islands, 1998 (poster).

Talks:

Keck Science meeting, "HATNet exoplanets confirmed by Keck", Caltech, Pasadena, 2009 September

Presentation at the Institute for Theory and Computation Luncheon, CfA, 2009 September

Presentation for the Science and Space Programs, Office of Management and Budget for the White House, "Small telescopes provide big results", CfA, 2009 July

Presentation for the Visit by Smithsonian Regents Chair at the Center for Astrophysics, CfA, 2009 May

Konkoly Observatory colloquium, 2009 February

National Science Foundation Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellows symposium, Long Beach, CA, 2009 January

Australian National University, invited talk, 2008 June

IAU Symposium 253, "Transiting extrasolar planets with HATNet", Cambridge, MA, May 2009

Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii colloquium, 2008 May

Paul Hertelendy lecture, Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 2008 May

Space Telescope Science Institute colloquium, 2008 March

Transiting Extrasolar Planets Workshop, MPIA, Heidelberg, 2006, invited talk "Photometric methods in transit searches".

Transiting Extrasolar Planets Workshop, MPIA, Heidelberg, 2006, invited talk "Current status of HATNet".

Konkoly Observatory Colloquium, Budapest, 2006, "Planet HAT-P-1".

Geneva Observatory, 2006, Switzerland, "Ground-based transit surveys, target selection and observing strategy" (invited talk on "Detection and characterization of exoplanets" conference).

National Academy of Sciences, Cambridge, MA, 2006, "Origins of life retreat", "Current status of search for extrasolar planets with HATNet".

Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), Optical and Infrared Astronomy lunch talk, Cambridge, MA, 2006, "Current status of the search for extrasolar planets with HATNet".

Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), Hubble Fellows symposium, Baltimore, 2006, "A stellar companion in the HD 189733 system with a known transiting planet".

Konkoly Observatory Colloquium, Budapest, 2006, "A stellar companion in the HD 189733 system.".

CfA, Solar, Stellar, and Planetary Sciences seminar, Cambridge, MA, 2005, "Needle in the haystack: search for extrasolar planetary transits with HATNet".

Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), Hubble Fellows symposium, Baltimore, 2005, "Search for extrasolar planets with HATNet".

CfA, Solar, Stellar, and Planetary Sciences seminar, Cambridge, MA, 2004, "Photometry with the HAT Network".

Jenam conference, Budapest, 2003, "Current status of the HAT" (invited talk).

Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) Solar, Stellar, and Planetary Sciences seminar, Cambridge, MA, 2003, "Building the HAT Network".

Thesis Adviser and Postgraduate-Scholar Sponsor:

B. Csák: predoctoral fellow at the CfA, 2004–2005.

B. Sipőcz, visiting student at the CfA, 2007–2009, MsC thesis advisor.

G. Kovács, visiting student at the CfA, 2007–2009.

Z. Csubry, visiting student, CfA, 2007–.

A. Pál, PhD thesis co-advisor, 2004–2009, graduated 2009 with summa cum laude.

D. Kipping, predoctoral fellow, PhD thesis co-advisor at the CfA, 2009–2010.

J. Hartman, postdoctoral fellow at the CfA, 2008–.

K. Penev, postdoctoral fellow at the CfA, 2009–.

G. Perumpilly, postdoctoral fellow at the CfA, 2009–.

Professional Societies:

Hungarian Astronomical Association, member: 1991-present.

American Astronomical Association, member: 2008-present.

Research interests (in order of relevance to current research:)

Extrasolar planetary transits

Automated all sky surveys

Massive variability searches

Photometric techniques

Globular cluster variables, RR Lyrae stars

High proper motion stars

Transient phenomena, afterglow of GRBs.

Dedicated telescopes:

HATNet at FLWO: Installation and maintenance of HAT-5, HAT-6, HAT-7 and HAT-10 wide-field, automated telescopes at FLWO. Operational since 2003. Goal: search for planetary transits.

HATNet at SMA, Hawaii: Installation and maintenance of HAT-8 and HAT-9. Operational since 2004. Goal: search for planetary transits.

FLWO: Installation and maintenance of TopHAT, dedicated 0.25m photometry follow-up telescope.

Wise HAT (WHAT) at Wise Observatory, Israel: Installation and maintenance. Operational since 2004. Goal: search for planetary transits.

HAT-South at Las Campanas, Chile: installation and operations of HAT-South 1 (HS1) and HS2 wide field robotic telescopes.

The HESS site, Namibia: installation and operation of HS3 and HS4.

Languages:

Fluent in English and Hungarian. Basic knowledge in German.