Degree:

• 1996 - PhD in Physics at JATE University, Szeged, Hungary
  Thesis: "Variable stars in binary systems"
• 1994: Candidate of Sciences in Physics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences
  (PhD-equivalent)
  Thesis: "Variable stars in binary systems"
• 1989 - MSc in Physics at JATE University, Szeged, Hungary
  Thesis: "Period variation of variable stars due to orbital revolution"

Academic positions:

• 2022 (6 months): research fellow, Department of Astronomy, UT Austin, supervisors: Prof. V. Bromm, Prof.em. J. C. Wheeler
• 2022 - present: senior research fellow (part-time) at Department of Experimental Physics, University of Szeged
• 2021 - present: research advisor at Konkoly Observatory, HUN-REN Research Centre of Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Budapest
• 2016 - 2022: senior research fellow (part-time) at Department of Optics and Quantum Electronics, University of Szeged
• 2016 - 2021: research leader, senior research fellow at Konkoly Observatory, Research Centre of Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Budapest
• 2008-2009: research fellow, Department of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin; supervisor: Prof. J. C. Wheeler
• 2001-2016: associate professor at Department of Optics and Quantum Electronics, University of Szeged
• 1999-2001: lecturer at Department of Optics and Quantum Electronics, University of Szeged
• 1992-1999: senior research fellow of Research Group on Laser Physics of Hungarian Academy of Sciences (at Dept. of Optics, JATE University) supervisor: Prof. Zs. Bor
• 1989-92: PhD student of Hungarian Academy of Sciences at Konkoly Observatory, Budapest, Hungary and JATE University, Szeged, Hungary, supervisor: Dr. László Szabados

Scholarships and visits:

• 2010 - present: 1-3 visits per year at Department of Astronomy, UT Austin
• 2001-2003: Bolyai Janos Fellow, Hungarian Academy of Sciences
• 1997-1999: Magyary Zoltan Postdoctoral Fellow
• 1997: Hungarian Eötvös Fellow (3 months) at David Dunlap Observatory, University of Toronto, Canada supervisor: Prof. C.T. Bolton, Prof. J. R. Percy
• 1995: Hungarian Eötvös Fellow (3 months) at York University, Toronto, Canada supervisor: Prof. N. R. Evans
• 1991: visiting scientist (6 weeks) at Department of Astronomy University of Toronto, Canada

Awards:

• 2018: Doctor of Science of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
• 2012: "Golden Chalk" Prize, University of Szeged, Faculty of Sciences and Informatics
• 2012: László Detre Prize, Roland Eötvös Physical Society
• 1998: Young Researchers' Prize, Hungarian Academy of Sciences
• 1989: Pro Scientia Gold Medal for undergraduate students

Scientific publications and metrics (based on NASA Astrophysics Data System):

• 168 papers in refereed journals (1989 - 2024), 17 of them being first-authored
• 315 non-refereed publications (preprints, conference proceedings, circulars)
• 2906 independent citations
• h-index from independent citations: 30
• MTMT link: https://m2.mtmt.hu/gui2/?type=authors&mode=browse&sel=authors10001530
• ADS library: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/public-libraries/BRcusoFHRv6dMvJYhOpoeA

Grants (as project leader):

• 2022-26: "Unsolved Mysteries in Supernova Astrophysics"
  Hungarian OTKA Grant #K142534 -- 47 868 000 HUF = 136 765 USD
• 2017-20: "Transient Astrophysical Objects"
  EU GINOP-2.3.2-15-2016-00033 -- 687 369 737 HUF = 2 545 813 USD
• 2013-15: "Astrophysics of supernova explosions"
  Hungarian OTKA Grant #NN 107637 --- 18 252 000 HUF = 81 120 USD
• 2001-03: "Astrophysics of nova- and supernova explosions"
  Hungarian OTKA Grant #T034615 --- 7 300 000 HUF = 25 435 USD
• 1997-99: "Application of high-resolution optical spectroscopy in astrophysics"
  Hungarian OTKA Grant #F022249 --- 900 000 HUF = 4 864 USD
• 1994: "CCD-photometry of short period variable stars"
  AMFK (Hungarian Ministry of Education) Grant # 678/94 --- 600 000 HUF = 5 581 USD
• 1994: "Numerical simulations in physical systems"
  World Bank-OTKA Grant #W015239 --- 15 000 USD
• 1993-95: "Study of stellar binary systems for solving astrophysical problems"
  Hungarian OTKA Grant #F007318 --- 900 000 HUF = 9 000 USD

Teaching activity:

• University of Szeged (formerly JATE University): 1989 - present
• Teaching assistant in courses "Electrodynamics", Thermodynamics", Atomic Physics", "Astronomy", Experimental Physics" and "Laboratory Practices in Physics"
• Part-time lecturer of "Wave Theory and Optics" (1993), "Astronomical Spectroscopy" (1999), "General Astronomy" (2000)
• Lecturer of "Classical Mechanics" (1994), "Numerical Methods in Physics" (since 1995), "Modern Astronomy" (1995,1996), "History of Astronomy" (1998-2016), "Astrophysics 1, 2, 3" (since 1999), "Astronomical Spectroscopy" (since 1999), "Galactic and Extragalactic Astronomy" (since 2006), "Space-based Astronomical Techniques" (since 2012)
• Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest (ELTE): 2017 - present
• Part-time lecturer of "Introduction to Astronomy 3" (since 2017)
• Lecturer of "Astronomical Transients" (2020), "Radiative Processes in Astrophysics" (2020)

Student supervising / mentoring activity:

- supervisor of 29 undergraduate students at University of Szeged since 1995, and 3 undergraduate studens at ELTE since 2017

- thesis advisor of 12 PhD students in the Graduate School of Physics, University of Szeged since 2000

- thesis advisor of 1 PhD student in the Graduate School of Physics, ELTE University since 2019

- number of students with successful PhD defence: 10

Specialization and skills:

- Astronomy

• observations of supernova explosions: photometry, spectroscopy
• theory of supernova explosions: radiative diffusion, light curve modeling, P Cygni line formation in SN atmospheres, interaction between supernova ejecta and circumstellar matter
• theoretical modeling of the powering mechanisms of superluminous supernovae: radioactive decay, magnetar spin-down, shock waves by circumstellar interaction
• theoretical modeling of the light curves in Tidal Disruption Events
• distance measurement of Type Ia supernovae with MLCS2k2, SALT2 and SNooPy2 methods
• distance measurement of Type II supernovae by applying the Expanding Photosphere method and Standard Candle Method
• spectrum modeling of supernovae using SYNOW, SYNAPPS and TARDIS codes
• astronomical spectroscopy, abundance analysis, Atlas9/SYNTHE
• CCD-photometry of crowded stellar fields, DAOPHOT, isochrone fitting, simple stellar populations
• Cepheid-type pulsating variable stars: high-resolution spectroscopy, Baade-Wesselink analysis, double-mode pulsation
• eclipsing binaries, contact binaries, light curve and radial velocity modeling, binary star evolution

- Telescopes / Observing experience

• 0.6 / 0.9 m Schmidt telescope at Konkoly Observatory (CCD imaging)
• 0.8 m Ritchy-Chrétien robotic telescopes at Konkoly Observatory and Baja Observatory, Hungary (CCD imaging)
• 1.82 m Cassegrain telescope at David Dunlap Observatory, Canada (CCD spectroscopy)
• 1.88 m Cassegrain telescope at Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, Canada (CCD imaging)
• 0.8 m telescope at McDonald Observatory, Texas (CCD imaging)
• 2.7 m Harlan Smith telescope at McDonald Observatory, Texas (CCD imaging)
• 10 m Hobby-Eberly Telescope at McDonald Observatory, Texas (IFU spectroscopy)

- Data reduction and processing

• robotic telescope pipeline development for automated data reduction and analysis
• IRAF, Dolphot, HEASoft, FITSH
• HST (ACS, WFPC2) Swift (UVOT, XRT) Spitzer (IRAC, MIPS, IRS) data reduction and photometry
• single- and multi-order optical and infrared spectroscopy, high-resolution echelle spectroscopy
• digital image processing applications
• application of Fourier- and wavelet transforms in signal processing
• digital convolution and deconvolution
• time series analysis

Computers

• script programming in UNIX
• scientific programming in C, numerical methods and algorithms
• UNIX system administration (Solaris 2.x, Linux)
• basic knowledge of HTML

Last updated: January 18, 2024