1. Kathryne J. Daniel†
Department of Physics & Astronomy · Johns Hopkins University
3400 N Charles St · Baltimore, MD 21218
kdaniel@jhu.edu · (410) 458-3608 · kathrynedaniel.wix.com/home
EDUCATION
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Ph.D. in Physics & Astronomy (expected) 2015
Thesis title: “Constraints on Radial Migration in Disk Galaxies”
M.A. in Physics & Astronomy 2005
Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA
Post-baccalaureate Major in Physics 2002
A.B. in Classical & Near Eastern Archaeology (Cum Laude & Honors) 1999
SKILLS
Programming: C++, Python, IDL, Mathematica
Data: SQL, mathematical modeling, data analysis, simulations, presentations
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
Graduate Research Assistant/Fellow
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 2002-2005, 2010-2011/2011-2015
I identified and developed an analytic framework to answer an outstanding question in astrophysics about
how stars move about the Galactic center. I then validated my work using simulations and predicted
its significance via modeling. The results will likely be included in the next generation of textbooks on
galactic dynamics.
• Extensively used the following applied mathematics techniques: perturbation theory, chaos,
non-linear dynamics, and hyper-geometric functions
• Constructed statistical models based on distribution functions using object oriented program-
ming in C++ and Python. The results will be used in future semi-analytic galaxy models and
to interpret the results of galaxy simulations
• Built, debugged and implemented a numerical integrator to simulate gravity in a complex
potential using C++ to numerically test and confirm the robustness of my analytic theories
• Mined, analyzed and visualized spectral data from the 25 TB Sloan Digital Sky Survey database
and Gemini Deep Deep Survey using SQL and IDL
• Received over $162,500 in fellowships and other awards to support my independent studies, plus
over $13,000 toward travel expenses
International Summer Institute for Modeling in Astrophysics
Gravitational Dynamics, CITA, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada Summer 2014
Was one of two US citizens chosen to be a student participant in this highly selective workshop, with
30 student participants from around the world. I formulated a method to solve “the most ambitious
problem” presented at the workshop. My proposal was accepted and I collaborated in a small group on
this project.
• Constructed an analytic distribution function that can be numerically integrated to derive
multiple statistical properties of certain stellar systems
• Built an object oriented numerical integrator in Python to quantify the stability of the distri-
bution function
• Awarded travel and tuition fellowships from both CITA and JHU as an incentive to attend
†Also Kathryne J. D. Tolfree
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2. International Gaia Schools
Galactic Dynamics in the Times of Gaia & other Great Surveys, Mexico City, Mexico November 2013
GREAT ITN School: Galaxy Modeling, Besan¸con, France October 2012
Gaia is a space telescope mission launched in December 2013 and manufactured by the European Space
Agency. It will measure the positions, motions and spectra of over a billion stars with unprecedented
accuracy, each more than 70 times over 5 years resulting in over a PB of data. International Gaia Schools
are exclusive and typically for European students only, but I was accepted as an exceptional case. We
were trained to mine, interpret and analyze Gaia data and then collaborated in small groups to perform
original science experiments to determine the power and limitations of the mission.
• Produced simulated Gaia data from analytic models and large scale simulations of galaxies and
analyzed how observational uncertainties could affect the science results
The 2010 Summer School for Astro-Computing: Galaxy Simulations
UC High Performance Astro-Computing Center, Santa Cruz, CA, USA Summer 2010
Gained intimate knowledge of the underlying mathematics and structure, and therefore the strengths and
weaknesses, of various galaxy simulation packages in order to correctly analyze the simulated data and to
critically scrutinize published results.
• Simulated galaxy evolution on HPCC supercomputers using state-of-the-art N-body, spheri-
cal particle hydrodynamic, and hydrodynamic adaptive mesh refinement simulation software
packages: Gadget-2, Gasoline, Enzo, Ramses & ART
Adjunct Faculty/Lecturer
Towson University, Towson, MD 2006-2008/2008-2009
Designed and taught both conceptual and calculus based courses in physics, astronomy and physical
science at a large state university.
• Conceived and wrote a new astronomy lab curriculum
Research Assistant
West Chester University, West Chester, PA 2000-2002
JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO Summer 2001
• Constructed a multi-dimensional database that was critical to determining key results
• Analyzed x-ray spectra using XSPEC fitting software and Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistics
• Cleaned, analyzed and visualized x-ray image data
• Conceptualized and implemented a novel idea to create a false color movie to visualize x-ray
data using IDL
HONORS & PRIZES
AAUW American Dissertation Fellow 2014-2015
$20,000 to supplement living expenses & travel
E. J. Rhee Travel Grant, $1,000 for travel 2014
NSF Graduate Research Fellow 2011-2014
$35,000/yr stipend, $12,000/yr for tuition & health insurance,
additional charges waived
Rowland Prize for Innovation and Excellence in Teaching $500 award 2003
Bryn Mawr College Scholarship 1996-1999
$16,000/yr to pay half-tuition, selected annually for academic excellence
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3. PUBLICATIONS
Daniel, K. J., Heggie, D. C, & Varri, A. L., 2015,“Analytic Model of a Star Cluster that Includes Potential
Escapers” in preparation
Daniel, K. J. & Wyse, Rosemary F. G., 2015, “Constraints on Radial Migration in Spiral Galaxies II. Trapped
Fraction” MNRAS, in preparation
Daniel, K. J. & Wyse, Rosemary F. G., 2015, “Constraints on Radial Migration in Spiral Galaxies I. Analytic
Criterion for Capture at Corotation” MNRAS, 447, 3576
Tolfree, K. J. D.†
& Wyse, Rosemary F. G., 2014, “Requirements for Radial Migration: How does the
migrating fraction depend on stellar velocity dispersion?”, in Structure and Dynamics of Disk Galaxies
PASP conference proceedings, Eds. Seigar, M. S. & Treuthhardt, P., v.480, 179
Le Bourgne, D., Roberto, A., Daniel, K. J. et al., 2006, “Gemini Deep Deep Survey. VI. Massive Hdelta-
strong Galaxies at z= 1” ApJ, 642, 48
Gagn´e, M., Daniel, K. J., & Skinner, S. L. 2004, “Simultaneous Chandra and Very Large Array Observation
of Young Stars and Protostars in ρ-Ophiuchus Cloud Core A”, ApJ, 613, 393
Daniel, K. J., Linsky, J. L., & Gagn´e, M. 2002, “Chandra Observations of the Pleiades Open Cluster: X-Ray
Emission from Late B- to Early F-Type Binaries”, ApJ, 578, 486
TALKS
“Analytic Models of Globular Clusters with Potential Escapers” at International Summer Institute for Mod-
eling in Astrophysics Toronto, Canada, 4-8 August, 2014
“Effect of Gaia Errors on Orbital Classification” at International Gaia School Mexico City, Mexico, 3-12
November, 2013
“Requirement for Radial Migration: How does the migrating fraction depend on the velocity dispersion?”
at Structure and Dynamics of Disk Galaxies at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, Petit Jean Mountain,
Arkansas, USA, 12-16 August, 2013
“Toward Understand the Efficiency of Radial Migration” at DC/MD/VA Astrophysics Summer Meeting for
Graduate Students at the UMD, College Park, MD, USA, 28 June, 2013
“Tracing Unseen Mass with Thin Disk Stars” at International Gaia School Besan¸con, France, 15-20 October,
2012
“On the Efficiency of Radial Migration in Spiral Galaxies” at Stars without Borders: Radial Migration in
Spiral Galaxies Medana, Slovenia, 21-24 May, 2012
POSTER PUBLICATIONS
Daniel, K. J. & Wyse, Rosemary F. G. “Constraints on the Efficiency of Radial Migration in Spiral Galaxies”
at the 225rd
American Astronomical Society Annual Meeting in Seattle WA 2015, 446, 02
Tolfree, K. J. D.†
& Wyse, Rosemary F. G. “How and Why Velocity Dispersion Affects the Efficiency of
Radial Migration” at the 223rd
American Astronomical Society Annual Meeting in Washington DC 2014,
246, 09
Daniel, K. J., Linsky, J. L., & Gagn´e, M. “Chandra Observations of the Pleiades Open Cluster: X-ray
emission from late-A to B-type stars” at the 12th
Cambridge Workshop on Cool Stars, Stellar Systems, and
the Sun at the University of Colorado, Boulder 2003, ASP: San Francisco, 12, 401
Skinner, S. L., Daniel, K. J., & Gagn´e, M., “The X-ray View of Massive Star Formation: New High-resolution
Images and Spectra from Chandra” presented at a meeting on Massive Star Formation, 2002, The Earliest
Phases of Massive Star Birth, ed. P. Crowther, ASP: San Francisco, 267, 419
Mytyk, A. M., Daniel, K. J., Gagn´e, M., & Linsky, J. L. “Chandra Observations of the Eagle Nebula: Seeing
Through the Pillars of Creation” at the 199th
American Astronomical Society Annual Meeting in Washington
DC 2002, Bull. Am. Astron. Soc. 199, 0408
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4. Daniel, K .J. & Gagn´e, M. “Chandra Observations of the Young Open Clusters: the Pleiades and M16”
at the Two Years of Science with Chandra Symposium, Washington DC 2001, ed. M. Garcia, ASP: San
Francisco, 146
Daniel, K. J., Gagn´e, M., & Skinner, S. L. “Chandra Observations of Flaring YSOs in rho Ophiuchus” at
the 197th
American Astronomical Society Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA 2001, Bull. Am. Astron. Soc.,
197, 1015
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