Bjorn Larsen, graduate student working with Chiara Mingarelli, assistant professor of physics, was named a Hero of NANOGrav for “Bringing the Noise”. Larsen’s activities include co-leading the custom noise model analysis for all 68 NANOGrav pulsars; optimizing a crucial piece of code, increasing its speed by a factor of 100; working on accelerating the International Pulsar Timing Array (IPTA) data combination; and being deeply committed to fostering international collaboration.
Larsen commented, “I am truly honored to receive this recognition from the NANOGrav collaboration. Being part of NANOGrav has been an incredible opportunity to learn and grow as a scientist, and I am continually inspired by the dedication and achievements of my colleagues.”
Some comments from his nominators:
“Bjorn’s innovative noice modeling methods balance flexibility and rigor, helping NANOGrav maintain its leading role in low-frequency gravitational wave detection.”
“His work ethic and dedication to rigorous science in the face of complex analyses that often lead to perplexing results is nothing short of courageous. We are luck to have such a passionate and devoted colleague.”
“His combination of intellectual depth problem-solving ability, and dedication to the scientific community exemplifies the spirit of a true NANOGrav hero.”
Mingarelli added, “Bjorn has played a key role in refining our gravitational wave search through advanced noise modeling techniques. His methodological innovations, coupled with his commitment to open collaboration, are improving both the precision and efficiency of pulsar timing analyses across multiple collaborations.”
About the award: since its creation in 2022, only 10 “Heroes of NANOGrav” recognitions have been bestowed on NANOGrav members, of which there are 240. That’s about 5% of the NANOGrav membership. It is, indeed, a significant honor.