Research

Image processing, inverse problems, physics-based predictive models, and machine learning on multi-source scientific data. As part of the Vera Rubin Observatory Active Optics team, I lead algorithm and pipeline development for the closed-loop wavefront estimation subsystem that recovers the 3D optical state of the 8.4 m Simonyi Survey Telescope from paired 2D defocal detector images. I also pursue time-domain quasar research and multi-survey light-curve analysis with Bayesian methods. Development of the Active Optics System (AOS) for the Vera Rubin Observatory involved building and evaluating the software algorithms used to estimate the wavefront. This resulted in a steady stream of technical notes:

I am also a co-author on Crenshaw et al. 2024 (AJ 167:86), introducing AIDonut — a PyTorch-based deep-learning model for wavefront estimation now deployed in the Rubin production pipeline alongside physics-based methods. Furthermore, I have also investigated lightcurve features that could be best utilized to classify quasars from the LSST stack - reprocessed SDSS Stripe 82 data, analyzed the CRTS time series data for quasars in SDSS Stripe 82 . I used Gaussian Processes to model Quasar light curves as a Damped Random Walk, combining photometry across various surveys (SDSS, CRTS, PTF, PS1), as well as performing spectroscopic follow-up of Changing Look Quasar candidates (see the talk I gave in Naples for "The Restless Nature of AGN" conference.)

Teaching

Teaching: I served as a Teaching Assistant for Astronomy 101 and 150 courses taught to undergraduates at the University of Washington. Specifically, I was an assistant for Fall 2013, Fall 2015, Summer 2016, Autumn 2016 for Dr Ana Larson ; Spring 2014, Spring 2016 for Dr Chris Laws; Winter 2015, Winter 2016 for Dr Oliver Fraser; Winter 2013, Summer 2014 for Dr Nicole Silvestri; Spring 2015 for Dr Toby Smith. Mentorship: I helped mentees develop their research projects, summarize them in research papers, and boost their portfolio for graduate school applications.

Contact

Email: suberlak 'at' uw.edu

Address (office): 3910 15th Ave NE, PAB C319, Astronomy Department, University of Washington, Seattle, WA