C.V.

1. SEAN D. JOHNSON
(713)−562−1666 seanjohnson@uchicago.edu
Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics
The University of Chicago
CURRENT POSITION
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow 2010 − present
at the Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, The University of Chicago
EDUCATION
The University of Chicago
PhD. Candidate in Astronomy & Astrophysics 2010 − present
B.S. in Mathematics with honors 2010
B.A. in Physics with specialization in Astrophysics with honors 2010
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Galaxy evolution – observations 2012 − present
with Professor Hsiao-Wen Chen, U. Chicago
– Observations of the intergalactic medium – galaxy connection at z < 0.5
Interstellar Medium of the Milky Way and nearby galaxies 2010 − 2012
with Professor Don York, U. Chicago
– Theoretical modelling of molecular spectra
– Observations of diffuse interstellar bands in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies
Renewable energy policy 2010 − 2011
with Professor Elisabeth Moyer, U. Chicago
– Analysis of state and federal renewable energy legislation
FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS
– National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship 2010 − present
– Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Resaerch ($5, 000) 2015
– University of Chicago Graduate Council Travel Award 2015
– Brinson Pre-doctoral Fellow at the Carnegie Observatories 2013 − 2014
– University of Chicago Doolittle-Harrison Travel Award 2013
– Illinois Space Grant Fellowship ($10, 000) 2011 − 2012
– McCormick Fellowship ($9, 000) 2010 − 2012
– Nathan Sugarman Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research 2010
– The University of Chicago National Merit Scholarship 2006 − 2010
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2. PUBLICATIONS
1. Johnson, S. D., Chen, H.-W., & Mulchaey, J. S. 2015, On the possible environmental effect in
distributing heavy elements beyond individual gaseous halos, MNRAS, 449, 3263
2. Johnson, S. D., Chen, H.-W., Mulchaey, J. S., Tripp, T. M., Prochaska, J. X., & Werk, J. K.
2014, Discovery of a transparent sightline at ρ 20 kpc from an interacting pair of galaxies,
MNRAS, 438, 3039
3. Chen, H.-W., Gauthier, J.-R., Sharon, K., Johnson, S. D., Nair, P., & Liang, C. J. 2014,
Spatially resolved velocity maps of halo gas around two intermediate-redshift galaxies, MNRAS,
438, 1435
4. Johnson, S. D., Chen, H.-W., & Mulchaey, J. S. 2013, Probing the IGM-galaxy connection at
z < 0.5 - II. New insights into the galaxy environments of O VI absorbers in PKS 0405−123,
MNRAS, 434, 1765
5. Oka, T., Welty, D. E., Johnson, S. D., York, D. G., Dahlstrom, J., & Hobbs, L. M., 2013,
Anomalous Diffuse Interstellar Bands in the Spectrum of Herschel 36. II. Analysis of Radiatively
Excited CH+, CH, and Diffuse Interstellar Bands, ApJ, 773, 42
6. Dahlstrom, J., York, D. G., Welty, D. E., Oka, T., Hobbs, L. M., Johnson, S. D., Friedman,
S. D., Jiang, Z., Rachford, B. L., Sherman, R., Snow, T. P., Sonnentrucker, P., 2013, Anomalous
Diffuse Interstellar Bands in the Spectrum of Herschel 36. I. Observations of Rotationally Excited
CH and CH+ Absorption and Strong, Extended Redward Wings on Several DIBs, ApJ, 773, 41
7. Johnson, S. D. & Moyer, E. J., 2012, Feasibility of U.S. renewable portfolio standards under
cost caps and case study for Illinois, Energy Policy, 49, 449
8. Moyer, E. J., Johnson, S. D., Goldberger, L., & Zhu, J., 2012, Feasibility and Implications
of the Michigan 2012 Proposal 3 for a 25% State Renewable Portfolio Standard, RDCEP Policy
Analysis Paper Series
9. York, D. G., Straka, L. A., Bishof, M., Kuttruff, S., Bowen, D., Kulkarni, V. P., Subbarau, M.,
Richards, G., Vanden Berk, D., Hall, P. B., Heckman, T., Khare, P., Quashnock, J., Ghering, L.,
& Johnson, S. D., Galaxies with background QSOs - I. A search for strong galactic Hα lines
2012, MNRAS, 423, 3692
TALKS & WORKSHOPS
– Galaxies in Absorption, Paris 2014
- Contributed talk: The extent of O VI and H I absorption around z ≈ 0.2 galaxies
– Intergalactic Matters, Heidelberg 2014
- Contributed talk: The IGM & galaxies at z < 0.5: galaxy surveys in COS fields
– Pasadena Postdoc Symposium 2014
– National Science Teachers Association, San Antonio 2013
- Presenter: Order-of-magnitude estimation in urban transporation
- Co-presenter with Dylan Hatt: Wind Energy, how much and what price?
– SciCoder, New York City 2011
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3. TEACHING & OUTREACH
Carnegie Observatories Open House 2014
– Volunteer at the “Ask an astronomer” table
Instructor, Yerkes Summer Institute 2013
– 1-week science immersion for high school students on spectroscopy & color
Lead Instructor, Yerkes Summer Institute 2012
– 1-week science immersion for high school students on destructive testing
Space Explorers Instructor, The Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics 2011 − 2012
– Designed and taught a novel, year-long science course on order-of-magnitude estimation to 20 inner-city
high school students
Lead Instructor, Yerkes Winter Institute 2011
– 3-day science immersion for high school students on thrust, buoyancy, and drag
Instructor, Yerkes Summer Institute 2011
– 3 day science immersion for high school students on detectors
Instructor, U. Chicago Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics 2010
– CAPSTONE course in astronomical databases for high school students and teachers
Teaching Assistant, U. Chicago Department of Mathematics 2009
– Studies in Mathematics I: Number theory
Counselor, Enrico Fermi Summer Interns Program 2007
– Taught physics lab courses in a summer science day camp for middle school students
OBSERVING AND DATA EXPERIENCE
Magellan 6.5-m Telescopes Las Campanas Observatory, Chile
– Multi-object spectroscopy & Optical imaging: LDSS3 & IMACS
– Echelle or echelette optical/near-IR spectroscopy: MagE, MIKE, & FIRE
– near-IR imaging: FourStar
Hubble Space Telescope (archival data) Space Telescope Institute
– far-UV spectroscopy: STIS & COS
– High-resolution imaging: WFPC2, WFC3, & ACS
NOAO Mayall 4-m Telescope Kitt Peak Observatory, Arizona
– Optical imaging: MOSAIC 1.1
ARC 3.5-m Telescope Apache Point Observatory, New Mexico
– Optical spectroscopy: DIS & echelle
– Optical imaging: SPIcam
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4. du Pont 2.5-m Telescope Las Campanas Observatory, Chile
– Optical imaging & spectroscopy: WFCCD
MPG/ESO 2.2-m Telescope La Silla Observatory, Chile
– Optical & near-IR imaging: GROND
General survey databases & data
– 2dF, 2MASS, DEEP2, DES, GALEX, SDSS, & UKIDSS
DEPARTMENT & ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES
Student representative to the Faculty Search Committee, U. Chicago 2015
– Organized student lunches with faculty candidates
– Communicated student consensus opinions of faculty candidates to the search committee
Treasurer of WOPAT, U. Chicago 2012
– Managed annual budget for U. Chicago’s graduate astronomy talks group.
– Successfully proposed a 40% budget increase over previous years.
Student representative to the Graduate Curriculum Committee, U. Chicago 2012
– Represented students during a large overhaul of the graduate curriculum
TECHNICAL SKILLS
Data analysis
– Large astronomical datasets such as SDSS
– Bayesian and frequentist statistics/modelling
– Image and spectroscopic data reduction
– Photo- and collisional ionization modeling with Cloudy
– Stellar Population Synthesis
Programming and related skills
– Expert: IDL & Latex
– Fluent: Python, SQL, IRAF, SVN, & git
– Infrequent use: Java, C, & C++
ACCEPTED OBSERVING PROPOSALS
– Magellan 6.5-m 2015A: 4 nights (Co-I with Hsiao-Wen Chen)
– NOAO Mayall 4-m: 1 night (PI)
– Magellan 6.5-m 2014B: 2 nights (Co-I with Hsiao-Wen Chen)
– Magellan 6.5-m 2014A: 3 nights (Co-I with Hsiao-Wen Chen)
– Magellan 6.5-m 2013A: 2 nights (Co-I with Hsiao-Wen Chen)
– ARC 3.5-m 2013: 9 half-nights (PI)
– Magellan 6.5-m 2012B: 1 night (Co-I & primary author with Don York)
– ARC 3.5-m 2012: 11 half-nights (PI)
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5. – Max Planck 2.2-m 2012: 6 nights (Co-I with Hsiao-Wen Chen and Joe Hennawi)
– Magellan 6.5-m 2011B: 0.5 nights (Co-I & with Don York)
– ARC 3.5-m 2011: 4 half-nights (PI)
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