Tabetha Suzanne Boyajian

1693 Fernleaf Circle, Atlanta, GA 30318

tabetha@chara.gsu.edu 404-849-4848

Current Position:

• Astronomy graduate student, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA

Education:

• PhD Graduate Student, Astronomy, Georgia State University, Advisor: Hal McAlister

• Masters in Science, Astronomy, Georgia State University, Completed May 2005

• Bachelor in Science, Physics with Concentration in Astronomy , College of Charleston, Completed May 2003

Areas of Specialization and Interest:

• Optical interferometry, stellar diameters, stellar spectroscopy, binary stars, astrometry, fundamental properties of stars

Research Experience:

• Doctoral:

  • Optical interferometry of single and binary stars

• Masters:

  • Optical spectroscopy of early-type binary stars

• Undergraduate:

  • UV spectroscopy of late-type binary stars

  • Refurbishing and maintenance of 0.4 meter telescope at College of Charleston

  • Development of software tools for robotic observations on 0.5m telescope located at University of Virgin Islands

Teaching Experience:

• Teaching Assistant, Introductory Astronomy Laboratory, Georgia State University, 8/03-Present. Lectured and demonstrated new techniques, graded laboratory assignments. Contact: Dr. John Wilson, Department of Physics and Astronomy

• Teaching Assistant, Introductory Astronomy Laboratory, College of Charleston, 8/00-5/03. Demonstrated laboratory techniques and assisted students in laboratory routines. Contact: Dr. John Hakkila, Department of Physics and Astronomy

• Tutor in Mathematics, Physics, and Astronomy

Refereed Publications:

1. Boyajian, T. S., & McAlister, H. A., “Angular Diameters of Hyades Giants with the CHARA Array”, (in preparation)

2. Boyajian, T. S., Mc Alister, H. A., Baines, E. K., Gies, D. R., Henry, T., Jao, W., O'Brien, D., Raghavan, D., Touhami, T., ten Brummelaar, T. A., Farrington, C., Goldfinger, P. J., Sturmann, L., Sturmann, J., Turner, N., H., & Ridgway, S. 2007, “Angular Diameters of the G Subdwarf  Cassiopeiae A and the K Dwarfs  Draconis and HR 511 from Interferometric Measurements with the CHARA Array”, to appear in the The Astrophysical Journal, August 2008

3. Boyajian, T. S., Gies, D. R., Dunn, J. P., Farrington, C. D., Grundstrom, E. D, Huang, W., McSwain, M. V., Williams, S. J., Wingert, D. W., Fullerton, A. W., & Bolton, C. T. 2007, “The Long-Period, Massive Binaries HD 37366 and HD 54662: Potential Targets for Long-Baseline Optical Interferometry”, The Astrophysical Journal, 664, 1121

4. Boyajian, T. S., Gies, D. R., Baines, E. K., Barai, P., Grundstrom, E. D., McSwain, M.V., Parks, J. R., Riddle, R. L., Ryle, W. T., & Wingert, D.W. 2007, “Radial Velocities of Six OB Stars”, The Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 119, 742

5. Grundstrom, E. D., Boyajian, T. S., Finch, C., Gies, D. R., Huang, W., McSwain, M. V., O'Brien, D. P., Riddle, R. L., Trippe, M. L., Williams, S. J., Wingert, D. W., & Zaballa, R. A. 2007, “Joint H-alpha and X-ray Observations of Massive X-ray Binaries III. The Be X-ray Binaries HDE 245770 = A 0535 +26 and X Persei”, The Astrophysical Journal, 660, 1398

6. McSwain, M. V., Ransom, S. M., Boyajian, T. S., Grundstrom, E. D., & Roberts, M. S. E. 2007, “Runaway Massive Binaries and Cluster Ejection Scenarios”, The Astrophysical Journal, 660, 740

7. McSwain, M. V., Boyajian, T. S., Grundstrom, E. D., & Gies, D. R. 2007, “A Spectroscopic Study of Field and Runaway OB Stars”, The Astrophysical Journal, 655, 473

8. Boyajian, T. S., Gies, D. R., Helsel, M. E., Kaye, A. B., McSwain, M. V., Riddle, R. L., & Wingert, D. W, 2006, “The B-Supergiant Components of the Double-Lined Binary HD1383”, The Astrophysical Journal, 646, 1209

9. Boyajian, T. S., Beaulieu, T. D., Gies, D. R., Grundstrom, E., Huang, W., McSwain, M. V., Riddle, R. L., Wingert, D. W., & De Becker, M. 2005, “The Massive Runaway Stars HD14633 and HD15137”, The Astrophysical Journal ,621, 978

Abstracts and Presentations:

1. Boyajian, T. S., McAlister, H. A. 2008, “The First Direct Measurement to the Diameter of a Population II Star; Observationally Determined Fundamental Properties of µ Cas A with the CHARA Array”, American Astronomical Society Meeting (AAS#211, 57.15)

2. Boyajian, T. S. 2006, “The Runaway Stars HD 14633 and HD 15137”, Georgia Regional Atronomers Meeting, invited talk

3. McSwain, M. V., Boyajian, T. S., Grundstrom, E., Gies, D. R. 2005, “A Search for Quiet Massive X-ray Binaries”, American Astronomical Society Meeting (AAS#207, 114.02)

4. Boyajian, T. S., Neff, J. E., Woehrman, M. E. 2003, “Ultraviolet Spectral Images of EI Eri and HD 199178”, American Astronomical Society Meeting (AAS#202, 32.04)

5. Neff, J. E. et al. 2004, “The Virgin Islands telescope: history and status”, Astronomische Nachrichten, 325, 669

Professional Affiliations:

• Society of Physics Students (SPS) member since 2000

• American Astronomical Society (AAS) sponsored member since 2003

Research Grants:

• South Carolina Space Grant Consortium: ‘Development of an Automated and Remote 0.5m Telescope at Etelman Observatory at the University of the Virgin Islands’

• IUE--NASA undergraduate research grant:

  • ‘Spectral Imaging of EI Eridani’ (RSKFW)

  • ‘An IUE Archive Search for Doppler Imageable Chromospheres in Active Stars’ (RSHDG)

Honors:

• Recipient, Outstanding Advanced Graduate Student Award, GSU College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program, April 2008

• Recipient, Outstanding Graduate Assistant Teaching Award, GSU Center for Teaching and Learning, and GSU College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program, April 2006

• Recipient, Departmental Honors in Physics, College of Charleston, May 2003

• Recipient, Golden Key National Honors Society

Qualifications:

• Really nice, cool, and smart person

Grants and Study Abroad/Travel:

• American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting, Winter 2008, Full financial support granted

• Yale Astrometry Workshop, Yale University, Summer 2005, Full financial support granted

• Michelson Summer Workshop (MSW), Caltech, Summer 2005, Summer 2006, Full financial support granted

• American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting, Summer 2003, Full financial support granted

• United States Particle Accelerator School (USPAS), Yale University, Summer 2002, Full financial support granted

References:

• Hal McAlister, Ph.D.

  • Regents' Professor, Georgia State University; Director, Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy, Georgia State University; Director & Chief Executive Officer, Mount Wilson Institute, Pasadena, California, 404-413-5400, hal@chara.gsu.edu

• Douglas Gies, Ph.D.

  • Graduate Director, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, 404-413-6021, gies@chara.gsu.edu

• James Neff, Ph.D.

  • Associate Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC 29464, 843-953-5325, neffj@cofc.edu