Ashkbiz Danehkar

• Languages: Python (SciPy, NumPy, Matplotlib), C++, Fortran, JavaScript, Pascal, IDL/GDL, MATLAB, HTML/CSS
• Data Science: Statistical Methods, Data Visualization, Time-series Analysis, PCA, h5py, yt
• Parallel Computing: OpenMPI, Intel MPI, OpenACC, CUDA, CuPy, SLURM, Linux/UNIX environments
• Technologies: Linux and other UNIX variants, Windows and MS-DOS, LaTeX, BibTeX, LibreOffice/MS Office

Mercor (San Francisco, CA)

April 2025 - present

AI Trainer - Astrophysics Expert (Contract/Part-time)

• Collaborated remotely with interdisciplinary teams to improve generative AI tools in Physics and Astronomy.
• Created training prompts for foundation models (LLMs) to refine responses for problems in Physics and Astronomy.

Eureka Scientific, Inc (Oakland, CA)

March 2022 - present

Research Scientist (through NASA grants)

• Conducted X-ray data analysis of black hole spins in radio-quiet AGN, and MCMC-based statistical analysis. Funded by the NASA Astrophysics Data Analysis Program and various NASA grants (PI Danehkar).
• Performed Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and statistical methods to study variability in X-ray spectral data.
• Used MCMC methods to obtain Bayesian posterior constraints for parameters of the relativistic reflection model.

University of Michigan (Ann Abor, MI)

Jan. 2019 - Dec. 2021

Research Fellow

• Performed hydrodynamic simulations and photoionization modeling of superwinds and superbubbles.
• Used the adaptive mesh hydrodynamics code FLASH, the photoionization code CLOUDY, and stellar population synthesis modeling programs.

MIT Department of Physics (Cambridge, MA)

Sept. 2018 - Dec. 2018

Teaching Assistant (Part-time)

• TA for the course Holographic Duality (PHY 8.871).
• Provided assistant in assignment evaluation and homework solutions; checked assignment solutions using Mathematica.

Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (Cambridge, MA)

Sept. 2015 - Aug. 2018

Postdoctoral Fellow

• Conducted X-ray spectral analysis of AGN and hard X-ray emitting symbiotics, imaging analysis of ionized nebulae, and MCMC-based Bayesian statistical analysis; Performed data reduction of HST images with AstroDrizzle and DrizzlePac.
• Conducted MCMC-based Bayesian statistics analysis to obtain posterior constraints of best-fit model parameters.
• Developed MPI_XSTAR, a MPI-based parallelization interface for the XSTAR photoionization code.

Think Education (Sydney, Australia)

Feb. 2015 - Jul. 2015

LMS Specialist (Seasonal)

• Responsible for designing, building, and supporting e-learning materials on Learning Management Systems (LMS).
• Updated online courses and assessments on LMS (Moodle and Blackboard) in collaboration with instructors.

Macquarie University (Sydney, Australia)

April 2010 - Sept. 2014

Doctoral Researcher

• Conducted optical integral field (3D) spectroscopy, plasma diagnostics, and chemical abundance analysis of ionized gaseous nebulae, in addition to 3-D photoionization and morpho-kinematic modeling. Funded by a Macquarie Research Excellence Scholarship.
• Developed IDL and Python codes for plasma diagnostics and abundance analysis.
• Used the 3D photoionization code (Monte Carlo simulations) for constraining 3D gaseous structures.
• Built 3D kinematic models using the interactive kinematic modeling tool SHAPE.
• Performed astronomical data reduction using IRAF (Image Reduction and Analysis Facility).
• Conducted manual ground-based observing runs with the ANU 2.1m telescope at Siding Spring Observatory.

Sept. 2011 - Aug. 2012

Teaching Assistant (Part-time)

• TA for laboratory sessions of Mechanics (PHYS107) and Electromagnetism (PHYS202).
• Supervised and advised undergraduate students in physics laboratories.

Queen's University Belfast (Northern Ireland, UK)

Sept. 2008 - Dec. 2009

Postgraduate Researcher

• Investigated the formation of electrostatic solitary waves in space plasmas. Funded by a Postgraduate Studentship provided by the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) Northern Ireland.
• Used MATLAB and Mathematica for numerical analysis of differential equations.

University of Craiova (Romania)

Feb. 2008 - Oct. 2008

Visiting Early-Stage Researcher

• Performed research on theoretical and mathematical physics. Funded by the Marie Curie Research Training Network.
• Used Mathematica for tensor calculus of general relativity and quantum field theory.
• Utilized LaTeX for academic writing through WinEdt and Scientific WorkPlace 5.5.

University of Rostock (Germany)

Sept. 2005 - Sept. 2007

Graduate Assistant

• Used computational methods for problems in electromagnetism and thermodynamics, such as finite element method.
• Acquired experiences with parallel computing (MPI) and distributed real-time systems.
• Built a microcontroller-based measurement system for clinical practice, developed C++ codes for Atmel AVR microcontrollers using WinAVR and AVR Studio, and designed PCB using EAGLE and Protel (Altium Designer).
• Performed VHDL programming of Xilinx FPGA/CPLD through Xilinx Foundation 2.1i.

Panda Security (Bilbao, Spain)

May. 2005 - Oct. 2006

Software Engineer (Contract/Part-time)

• Collaborated remotely in developing C++ codes for detecting malicious programs in Windows.
• Gained experience with the Portable Executable (PE) file format in Windows using OllyDbg and SoftICE.

Various Companies

Nov. 2001 - May 2005

Hardware and Software Engineer

• Developed programs in Visual/Borland C++ and Delphi/Turbo Pascal for industrial automation and computer numerical control (CNC) on Windows and MS-DOS.
• Wrote programs to interpret G-code (CNC programming language) generated by EdgeCAM (Vero Software CAM for milling) and send commands to control 3D milling machines.
• Programmed software applications and designed hardware interfaces for parallel port, serial port (RS-232), and Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) slot of IBM PC-compatible computers for controlling stepper motors on milling machines.
• Developed API libraries (DLL & OCX) and device drivers in Windows for USB devices (based on IgorPlug-USB) using Device Development Kit (DDK).
• Programmed AVR microcontrollers using WinAVR & AVR Studio, as well as MCS-51 (8051) with C51ASM & Keil C51.
• Programmed Xilinx FPGA/CPLD for controller design using Xilinx Foundation 2.1i.
• Developed CPLD-based systems for reading incremental encoders and controlling stepper motors for robotic applications.
• Developed microcontroller-based USB dongles using AVR microcontrollers (adopted from IgorPlug-USB).
• Designed electronic circuits using Protel Schematic and PCB (Altium Designer).
• Simulated electronic circuits using Electronics Workbench (EWB/NI Multisim) and OrCAD PSpice.

Macquarie University (Sydney, Australia)

2014

Ph.D. in Physics and Astronomy

• PhD dissertation on ionized nebulae using IFU spectroscopy, 3D kinematic modeling, plasma diagnostics, abundance analysis, and photoionization modeling. Skills: Data Analysis, Data Visualization, Python, Fortran, IDL, IRAF.

Queen's University Belfast (Northern Ireland, UK)

2009

M.Sc. in Plasma Physics

• Master's thesis on numerical analysis of electron-acoustic waves in plasmas using dispersion relations and nonlinear methods. Skills: Numerical Analysis, Computational Physics, Applied Mathematics, MATLAB, Mathematica.
• Notable Lectures: Theory of Plasma Physics, Experimental Plasma Physics, Laser-Produced Plasmas, Low-Temperature Plasmas.

University of Rostock (Germany)

2007

M.Sc. in Computational Electrical Engineering

• Master's thesis on the development of a microcontroller-based embedded measurement system using an AVR-family microcontrollers and programmable A/D converters for clinical practice. Skills: C++, Microcontrollers, RTOS, Embedded Systems.
• Notable Courses: Computational Electromagnetism, Computational Methods, Parallel Computing, Controller Design, Object-Oriented Programming, Application-Specific Integrated Circuits, Advanced VLSI Design, Distributed Systems.

• Applied Data Science with Python Specialization Certificate, University of Michigan (2020)
• Machine Learning with Big Data Certificate, UC San Diego (2020)
• Statistics with Python Specialization Certificate, University of Michigan (2020)

Academic CV