Profile
Educational Background
Ph.D., Physics, Technical University, Munich, Germany, 2007
M.S., Physics, University of Trieste, Italy, 2003
B.S.+M.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of Palermo, Italy, 2001
Profile/About Me
I am an Astrophysicist with strong interests in astro-particle physics and cosmology. My interests lie in the evolution of super-massive black holes and galaxies, the generation of truly diffuse backgrounds (from infrared to gamma rays), high-energy transients and high-energy sources in general. Recently I turned my attention to the evolution of the extragalactic background light and the role of the first stars during the epoch of re-ionization. I work with a number of instruments and telescopes both from the ground and in space, but my all-time favorites are the NASA missions Fermi, Swift, and NuSTAR.
Research Interests
Dr. Ajello’s research focuses on current topics of high-energy astrophysics, cosmology and astro-particle physics. There is a lot to be discovered about our Universe and even more about the most extreme environments in the Universe, where nature harnesses energies far beyond anything possible on Earth. Cosmology, particle physics, high-energy astrophysics and gravitational physics have tremendously progressed in the last decade. The intense research activities taking place at the cross road of these disciplines are enhanced by the opportunities that new facilities have opened up. Our group uses the Fermi gamma-ray space telescope, NuSTAR (the nuclear spectroscopic telescope array), and the Swift satellite (and many others) to unveil the mystery behind some of nature’s most powerful phenomena.
Research Group (Lab)
Dr. Ajello's lab comprises several postdoctoral fellows, graduate and undergraduate students. The group has access to several ground- and space-based observing facilities as well as the Palmetto cluster. The group collaborates with scientists at Stanford University, the Naval Research Laboratory, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, the Complutense University of Madrid and several other international institutions.
Courses Taught
ASTR-1020
ASTR-1010
ASTR-3030
ASTR-3020
ASTR-8400
ASTR-8300
ASTR-8200
ASTR-8100
Selected Publications
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2020ApJ...894...88A/abstract
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2018Sci...362.1031F/abstract
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016PhRvL.116o1105A/abstract
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016ApJS..222....5A/abstract
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2015ApJ...800L..27A/abstract
Selected Talks
MoRE-ASI Colloquium, April 2021, Colloquium at the Italian Space Agency
Memberships
Member of the American Association for the Advance of Science
Member of the American Astronomical Society
Member of the American Physical Society
Member of the NuSTAR's Users Group
Honors and Awards
2023, Dean’s Professorship Award
2023, Distinguished Doctoral Mentoring Award, Clemson University
2021, SC Governor's Young Scientist Award for Excellence in Scientific Research
2019, Rising Star Award, College of Science, Clemson
2018, URSAA Award, Clemson University
2008, Otto Hahn medal of the Max Planck Society
2003, Fellowship of the International Max Planck Research School
