Rohan Gupta

I currently work with Professor John Monnier at the University of Michigan, focusing on image reconstruction methods using generative priors. Image reconstruction in optical/infrared interferometry is an ill-posed inverse problem due to sparse sampling of the Fourier plane. This necessitates the use of priors to regularize the solution. Until recently, analytic functions such as total variation have been used as priors, but they often fail to capture the complex structures present in astronomical objects. My work explore the use of models such as normalizing flows and diffusion models as priors for interferometric image reconstruction. These models can learn complex distributions from large datasets, more effectibely encoding our knowledge about the types of objects we expect to observe. By integrating these learned priors into the reconstruction process, we hope to resolve time variable substructures in protoplanetary disks, which may provide insights into planet formation, planet-disk interactions, and planet migration.

I was a co-founder of the PULSE-A mission during my undergraduate studies at the University of Chicago. PULSE-A (Polarization-based Laser Satellite Experiment-A) is a 3U CubeSat mission designed to attempt polarization-based free-space optical communication between a satellite in low Earth orbit and a ground station. Designed by a team of undergraduate students, PULSE-A aims to increase the affordability and accessibility of space-to-ground optical communications, which offer higher data rates and improved security compared to traditional radio frequency systems. It also serves as a risk reduction mission for a follow-up mission, PULSE-Q, which will demonstrate quantum key distribution from space. As co-founder, I played an instrumental role in mission concept development. I also co-authored several grants, securing a launch opportunity through NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative and $70,000 in confirmed funding. I also co-authored a grant proposal to the NSF for $1,000,000 to fund the PULSE-Q mission, which has been selected as a finalist and is currently under review. This has culminated in two conference publications so far.

Prior to starting my PhD, I worked as an research assistant with Professor Jacob Bean at the University of Chicago on the MAROON-X high-resolution spectrograph for exoplanet detection. I focused on integrating the laser frequency comb into the calibration pipeline for MAROON-X, which would improve the long-term stability and precision of radial velocity measurements. This work culimated in my thesis, which detailed the calibration scheme for both the Fabry-Perot etalon (which is currently in use) and the laser frequency comb. I also presented this work at the 245th AAS meeting in January 2025.