Nathan Brunetti

I am a recent PhD graduate from the Department of Physics & Astronomy at McMaster University under the supervision of Dr. Christine D. Wilson. I am currently working part-time as a research assistant with Dr. Wilson and searching for work outside academia in data science. My astronomical research focuses on star formation and the interstellar medium within vigorously star-forming regions of nearby galaxies. I am particularly interested in understanding the gas properties within galaxy mergers that lead to their extremely high rates of star formation. My observational research has been in the submillimeter and radio parts of the spectrum. I have worked primarily with ALMA data, both archival and from my own successfully observed project.

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Research

Here is an ADS link to my publications. My Master's thesis focused on building a clump mass function in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) using ALMA 1.3 and 3.2 mm continuum observations to measure dust masses in star-forming regions. We mined the ALMA public archive for high-resolution data on several regions in the LMC, and we supplemented these data with short-spacing measurements acquired with new ALMA observations in which I was the P.I.

My PhD thesis focused on measuring the molecular-gas properties in nearby merging galaxies, with high-resolution ALMA observations at typical GMC scales, for comparison with local spiral galaxies. We used both pixel-by-pixel and cloud-finding analyses to statistically characterize cloud masses, sizes, mass surface densities, velocity dispersions, gas temperatures, etc.

We are also extending my Master's work in the LMC using the spectroscopic ALMA observations that were part of my P.I. project to measure the molecular gas temperatures and densities on clump scales. This will allow us to explore the impact young massive clusters have on the gas in their local environment.

Teaching

I was a physics teaching assistant in four courses nearly every year from 2015 through 2021 while I was a graduate student at McMaster University. A few courses are highlighted below.

• Physics 1AA3 - Introduction to Modern Physics: TAs guide students through conducting lab experiments as well as grade and provide feedback on lab reports. I was also the head TA from January 2018 to January 2021. Head TAs fulfilled additional duties such as training new TAs, refining the lab manual, designing and testing new experiments, and scheduling all lab activities. I also successfully implemented a rapid migration from fully in-person labs to online-only in April 2020.
• Physics 2G03 - Scientific Computing: TAs run computer-lab tutorials aiding students with assignments and term-long projects in C programming. Most students start with no programming experience but by the end of the term TAs have guided them to build and validate projects that solve differential equations simulating planetary systems, galaxies, multi-population growth/die-off, the interactions of neurons, and more. I held both standard and head TA roles.
• Arts and Science 2D06 - Physics: TAs mentor students in both the theoretical and experimental applications of physics by leading small-group tutorials on solving physics problems and assisting with term-project experiments. TAs guide students at every step of their term projects including choosing their experiment to explore a physical phenomenon, designing their experimental procedure, analyzing data acquired in their experiment, and preparing an impactful report of their results. Finally, TAs grade and provide feedback on the term-project reports.

About Me

Beyond research I have been participating in regular public outreach events at McMaster since I started graduate school in 2015.

McMaster's Sidwewalk Astronomy

For six years I helped run telescope observing sessions on and near campus for the general public, and for four years I was the manager of the group.

McCallion Planetarium

Over four years I gave presentations on topics ranging from general introductions to astronomy, tours of the solar system, astronomy done with current and upcoming space telescopes, and more.

Bay Area Science and Engineering Fair

I volunteered as a merit judge for the 2020 and 2021 fairs, reviewing students' projects and providing feedback.

Contact Me

The best way to get a hold of me is through email.