Curriculum Vitae | Publications

Ricardo Demarco, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Astronomy
University of Concepción
Department of Astronomy
Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, office A-202
Avda. Esteban Iturra s/n, Barrio Universitario
(or P.O. Box 160-C)
Concepción, Chile
Phone: +56-41-220-7247
e-mail: rdemarco [AT] astro-udec .cl
Web: http://www.astro-udec.cl/rdemarco

Education:

  • September, 2000-December, 2003: Ph.D., Astrophysics, Université Denis Diderot (Paris VII), France.
    Dissertation: "Physical properties and evolution of baryons in nearby and distant clusters of galaxies".
    Advisors: Dr. F. Durret (IAP, Paris) & Dr. P. Rosati (ESO, Garching).
  • September, 1999-June, 2000: Advanced Studies Diploma in Astrophysics and Space Techniques.
    Université Denis Diderot (Paris VII), France.
  • March, 1993-January, 1999: B.S., Physics, P. Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile.

Scientific interests:

  • Formation and evolution of galaxies and clusters of galaxies; Large scale structure
  • Observational cosmology

Professional experience:

  • March 1, 2013-present: Associate Professor of Astronomy, Department of Astronomy, University of Concepción, Chile.
  • July 1, 2009-February 28, 2013: Assistant Professor of Astronomy, Department of Astronomy, University of Concepción, Chile.
  • July 1, 2008-June 30, 2009: Associate Specialist, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, USA.
  • June 1, 2005-June 30, 2008: Associate Research Scientist (Advanced Camera for Surveys), Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, USA.
  • June 1, 2004-May 31, 2005: Assistant Research Scientist (Advanced Camera for Surveys), Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, USA.
  • January 1, 2004-April 30, 2004: Postdoctoral Fellow (Advanced Camera for Surveys), Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, USA.
  • January 2001-February 2003: Ph.D. Student, European Southern Observatory (ESO). Garching bei Muenchen, Germany.
  • September 2000-December 2003: Ph.D. Student, Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris (IAP), France.

Observational Expertise:

  • Multi-wavelength imaging observations of galaxy clusters; galaxy spectroscopy.
  • Multi- and long-slit spectroscopy.
  • Ground-based Observatories: APEX/LABOCA+SABOCA; LCO Magellan/IMACS+FourStar; ESO NTT/SofI; ESO VLT/FORS; Keck/LRIS; Subaru/MOIRCS; CTIO Blanco/MOSAIC II+DECam; CTIO 1.5m/R-C Spectrograph; CTIO Curtis-Schmidt 0.6m; CAHA 3.5m/MOSCA; OHP 1.5m, 1.2m,0.8m.
  • Space Observatories: ROSAT/PSPC-B; HST/ACS.

Observational programs:

  • "The Assembly of Rich Galaxy Clusters: A Wide-Field View of a Galaxy Protocluster at z=2.16"
    LCO Magellan program CN2013A-132. PI.
  • "Unveiling the nature of blue compact dwarf galaxies: spatially resolved chemical abundances and stellar populations"
    ESO VLT program 090.B-0242. PI.
  • "The birth of a massive cluster: a large-scale, extended structure at z=1.63"
    LCO Magellan program CN2012B-082. PI.
  • "Star formation in the cores of the most distant galaxy clusters at z~1.6"
    LCO Magellan program CN2011B-079. PI.
  • "The build-up of the red sequence in a distant, massive galaxy cluster at z=1.24"
    ESO VLT program 087.A-0581. PI.
  • "A Spectroscopic Survey of z = 1.5 Clusters"
    ESO VLT program 087.A-0483. PI.
  • "The Cluster Stellar Bump Sequence Method: Spectroscopic Confirmation of Cluster Candidates at z > 1.4"
    ESO VLT programs 086.A-0398/085.A-0613. PI.
  • "The Environmental Effects of Large Scale Structures Around the Galaxy Cluster RXJ0152.7-1357 at z=0.84."
    HST/ACS GTO program Cycle15-10997. Co-PI with H. C. Ford.
  • Co-I of: 20 ESO programs, 3 Keck program, 9 Gemini programs, 3 CTIO programs, 1 Subaru program, 1 Magellan program, 2 Herschel programs, 3 APEX programs, 1 GTC program, and 1 SALT program.

Other programs:

  • 1999, January-March: Research experience in Astronomy, REU/PIA program, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Chile. 5 nights: 1.5m and Curtis/Schmidt (0.6/0.9m) telescopes. Observational program: Variable stars and SNe.
  • 1994, June-July: Observing assistant in the Radio Observatory of Maipú [PDF] of the University of Chile. Observational program: study of Jupiter's radio emision before, during and after the impacts of comet S-L 9's fragments. Ref.: 1994 EM&P, 66, 31C.

Information technology expertise:

  • IDL, IRAF; Unix, Linux; C, HTML.
  • Own dedicated software to reduce spectroscopic data from VLT/FORS2 and Keck/LRIS.
  • Use of ACS-Apsis.

Teaching experience:

  • September 27th, 2012: Ph. D. defense committee member, Dr. Roger Leiton-Thompson, Ph.D. in Physics, Universidad de Concepción, Chile and Faculté des Sciences d'Orsay, Université Paris Sud 11, France.
  • April 2nd, 2012: Ph.D. defense committee member, Dr. P. Assmann, Ph.D. in Physics, Universidad de Concepción, Chile.
  • Adviser of undergraduate students (4) at Universidad de Concepción (UdeC) since 2010; studies of galaxy clusters and galaxy spectroscopy.
  • Selected curses taught at UdeC since July 2009: "Espectroscopía Avanzada", "Instrumentación Astronómica y Técnicas de Observación", "Astrofísica Galáctica y Extragaláctica", "Formación y Evolución de Galaxias", "Astrofísica II".
  • Invited lecturer to the following courses at UdeC since July 2009: "Astronomía" (Prof. D. Geisler), "Astrofísica General" (Prof. W. Gieren), "Astrofísica Galáctica" (Prof. D. Geisler).
  • April 2009: Invited lecturer; "Dynamics and evolution of galaxies" (Prof. G. Wilson), University of California at Riverside, USA.
  • January 2009: Invited lecturer; "Astrophysics and stellar astronomy" (Prof. G. Wilson), University of California at Riverside, USA.
  • 2008-2009: Co-advisor of undergraduate student; galaxy spectroscopy. Main supervisor: Prof. G. Wilson, University of California at Riverside, USA.
  • April 2007: Invited lecturer; "Extragalactic astronomy" (Prof. H. C. Ford), Johns Hopkins University, USA.
  • 1994-1998: Teaching Assistant (Physics and Astronomy) at P. Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile.

Service activities:

  • March 2013-present: Chair of Undergraduate Program in Astronomy, University of Concepción, Chile.
  • June 2012: CONICYT referee, 2012 Advanced Human-resources Insertion into Academia Program.
  • May, Nov 2011-2012: CNTAC Referee for Chilean time proposals.
  • May 2011, Jun 2010: Referee for ALMA-SOCHIAS travel-support program.
  • 2009-present: Participation at different boards and committees of the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, University of Concepción.
  • 2009-2013: Deputy Director, Department of Astronomy, Universidad de Concepción, Chile.
  • 2009-2013: Secretary for Academic Affairs, Department of Astronomy, Universidad de Concepción, Chile.
  • 2007-2010: Referee for Peer-Reviewed Journal: The Astrophysical Journal.

Other activities:

  • Sep 2012-present: Member, International Astronomical Union.
  • Jan 2012-present: Member, UMI-FCA research unit, Chile.
  • Jan-Jul 2011: Consulting astronomer for astronomy exhibition at CICAT museum, Coronel, Chile.
  • Jul-Aug, 2012; Oct, Jul 2011; Feb, Jul, Nov 2010: Visiting astronomer, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, USA.
  • Mar-May 2008; Jul 2007; Jun 2006: Visiting astronomer, European Southern Observatory, Garching, Germany.
  • 2006-present: Member, Chilean Astronomical Society.
  • 1990-present: Member, Asociación Chilena de Astronomía y Astronáutica.

Languages: Spanish (mother), English, French.

Studentships and Honors:

  • 2013-2015: University of Concepción Academic Allocation.
  • 2012 Outstanding Academic, Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, University of Concepción.
  • 2001-2003: European Southern Observatory Studentship.
  • 1999-2002: Studentship from the French Government.
  • 1999: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Studentship.

Grants:

  • March 2013-present: Fondecyt Regular No. 1130528. "The formation of the red sequence of early-type galaxies: understanding the role of the environment". PI.
  • 2012-presente: Research Bond Program ("Anillo") No. 10123. "Estableciendo el Rol de las Fusiones en el Crecimiento de Agujeros Negros y la Evolución Galáctica". Co-I, with PI E. Treister.
  • 2012-present: Fondecyt Regular No. 1120061. "Galaxy Evolution and the Growth of Supermassive Black Holes in the ALMA era". Co-I, with PI E. Treister.
  • 2011-present: Fondo ALMA-CONICYT 2010 No. 31100008. "Strenghtening the ALMA Galaxy Evolution Team at UdeC Astronomy: A New Postdoc Position for ALMA Science and Chilean ARC-equivalent Support". PI.
  • 2010-2013: Fondecyt Regular No. 1100540. "The Stellar-Mass Formation History of Massive Galaxies at z>1". PI.
  • 2010-2012: Comité Mixto ESO-Gobierno de Chile. "The Mass Assembly History of Galaxies and Galaxy Clusters at z>1". PI.
  • 2010-present: Chilean Centro de Excelencia en Astrofísica y Tecnologías Afines (CATA). Co-I, with PI M. T. Ruiz.

International collaborations:

  • 2010-present: "VLT-CLASH". Co-I, with PI P. Rosati (ESO, Germany).
  • 2009-present: "The Hawk-I Cluster Survey (HCS)". Co-I, with PI C. Lidman (AAO, Australia).
  • 2008-present: "The Spitzer Adaptation of the Red-sequence Cluster Survey (SpARCS)". Co-I, with PI G. Wilson (UCR, USA).
  • 2004-2008: Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). Co-I, with PI H.C. Ford (JHU, USA).

Selected oral presentations:

Conferences:

  • "Growing-up at high redshift: from proto-clusters to galaxy clusters", Madrid, Spain (10-13 Sep 2012)
  • Invited: 8th Annual Chilean Astronomical Society Meeting, Concepción, Chile (18-20 Jan 2010).
  • "Galaxy Clusters in the Early Universe", Pucón, Chile (9-12 Nov 2009).
  • 211th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society, Austin, Texas, USA (7-11 January 2008).
  • "Tracing Cosmic Evolution with Clusters of Galaxies: Six Years Later", Sesto, Italy (Jun 2007).
  • "The Fabulous Destiny of Galaxies: Bridging Past and Present", Marseille, France (Jun 2005).
  • Programme National de Cosmologie, Paris, France (Oct 2002, Oct 2000).

Colloquia:

  • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, USA (Oct 2008).
  • Center for Astrophysical Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA (Feb 2008).
  • Astronomy Institute, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile (Dec 2007).
  • Institute of Astrophysics, University of Innsbruck, Austria (Jul 2007, Jun 2006, Jun 2005).
  • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile (Jun 2007).
  • European Southern Observatory, Garching, Germany (Apr 2008, Jun 2006).
  • Observatoire de Paris, Meudon, France (Jun 2005).
  • Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, Tenerife, Spain (Jul 2005).
  • Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, Granada, Spain (Jul 2005).
  • Department of Astronomy, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Apr 2005).
  • Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Jan 2005).
  • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Chicago, USA (Feb 2003).

Outreach:

  • Appearance in article published by "Diario Las Últimas Noticias", Santiago, Chile (26 Mar 2013).
  • Public Talk, Co-Speaker, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile (21 Jan 2013).
  • Outreach public conference at the 2nd UdeC Astronomy Summer, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile - extract broadcasted by Radio UdeC (15 Jan 2013).
  • Outreach public conference at the "Velada Lunar en la UdeC", Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile (8 Jan 2013).
  • Course at the 1st Astronomy Summer School for Teachers, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile (4 Jan 2013).
  • Public Talk, Co-Speaker, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile (20 Dec 2012).
  • Public Talk, Co-Speaker, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile (7 Dec 2012).
  • TV broadcast (appearance on "Mucho Gusto" ("Matinal")'s feature), Mega TV Station, Santiago, Chile (4 Dec 2012).
  • Outreach talk for primary, middle and high school students, CICAT museum, Coronel, Chile (28 Sep 2012).
  • Invited: opening talk at the 4th Chilean School Olympiad of Astronomy and Astronautics, Los Angeles, Chile (18 Jul 2012).
  • Outreach astronomy class at the 1st UdeC Winter Astro-Billboard, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile (17 Jul 2012).
  • TV broadcast (interview for Regional TV Station's "Matinal"), Concepción, Chile (17 Jul 2012).
  • Public Talk, Co-Speaker, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile (8 May 2012).
  • Appearance in article published by "Diario el Sur", Concepción, Chile (15 May 2012).
  • Radio broadcast (live interview), Radio Bío Bío, Concepción, Chile (7 May 2012).
  • TV broadcast (interview for TVU), Universidad de Concepción's TV station TVU. Concepción, Chile (14 Mar 2012).
  • Public astronomical observations (Star Party), Villarrica, Chile (2, 4 Feb 2012).
  • Public talk at the 2nd Workshop on Introduction to Astronomy for school children and teachers, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile (6 Jan 2012).
  • TV broadcast (interview for "Matinal TVU"), Universidad de Concepción's TV station TVU. Concepción, Chile (5 Jan 2012).
  • Outreach talk for Universidad de Concepción's employees, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile (Nov 2011).
  • Radio broadcast (interview for "Voces de la Ciencia"), Radio Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile (Oct 2011).
  • Outreach conference to astronomy students and faculty, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile (Jun 2011).
  • Public Talk, Co-Speaker, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile (Jan 2011).
  • Co-organizer, 2nd National Olympiad of Astronomy and Astronautics, Puerto Varas, Chile (Aug 2010).
  • Radio broadcast (interview), Radio El Conquistador, Concepción, Chile (Apr 2010).
  • Public Talk, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile (Jan 2010).
  • Talk, Second Annual UCR/Puente Leadership Summer Program, Riverside, USA (Jun 2009).
  • Radio broadcast (interview), Radio Canada, Montréal, Canada (May 2007).
  • Public Talk, Asociación Chilena de Astronomía y Astronáutica, Santiago, Chile (Dec 2006).

Publications

Other interests:

  • Photography: film and digital.
  • Mountaineering: climbing experience on rock and snow; maximum elevation reached: 6000 m.a.s.l.
  • Aeronautics: student pilot (BWI airport, Baltimore, USA; Riverside Municipal Airport, Riverside, USA).

Last update: 1 April 2013