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I am an adiunkt (assistant professor) in the Astronomical Observatory, University of Warsaw. I received my PhD from University of Warsaw where I was working with Prof. Andrzej Udalski and then worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the Caltech Department of Astronomy under the supervision of Prof. Shrinivas Kulkarni. I am a member of the OGLE and ZTF teams. My research interests include gravitational microlensing, Milky Way structure and history, transients, and variable stars. I have a large experience in analyzing huge photometric data sets using both traditional and machine-learning-based techniques. Here's the list of my publications and my CV.
Research projects and publications
Dark matter and primordial black holes
- Mróz, P., Udalski, A., Szymański, M.K., et al. No massive black holes in the Milky Way halo, Nature, doi:10.1038/s41586-024-07704-6 (2024)
- Mróz, P., Udalski, A., Szymański, M.K., et al. Microlensing Optical Depth and Event Rate toward the Large Magellanic Cloud Based on 20 yr of OGLE Observations, ApJS 273, 4 (2024)
Free-floating planets
Theories of planet formation and evolution predict the existence of free-floating planets, gravitationally unattached to any star. I use gravitational microlensing to detect free-floating planets and study their population in the Milky Way.
- Mróz, P., Ban, M., Marty, P., Poleski, R. Free-floating or Wide-orbit? Keck Adaptive-optics Observations of Free-floating Planet Candidates Detected with Gravitational Microlensing, AJ 167, 40 (2024)
- Ryu, Y.-H., Mróz, P., Gould, A., et al. KMT-2017-BLG-2820 and the Nature of the Free-Floating Planet Population, AJ 161, 126 (2020)
- Mróz, P., Poleski, R., Gould, A., et al. A terrestrial-mass rogue planet candidate detected in the shortest-timescale microlensing event, ApJL, 903, 11 (2020)
- Mróz, P., Poleski, R., Han, C., et al. A free-floating or wide-orbit planet in the microlensing event OGLE-2019-BLG-0551, AJ, 159, 262 (2020)
- Mróz, P., Udalski, A., Bennett, D.P., et al. Two new free-floating or wide-orbit planets from microlensing, A&A, 622, A201 (2019)
- Mróz, P., Ryu, Y.-H., Skowron, J, et al. A Neptune-mass Free-floating Planet Candidate Discovered by Microlensing Surveys, AJ, 155, 121 (2018)
- Mróz, P., Udalski, A., Skowron, J., et al. No large population of unbound or wide-orbit Jupiter-mass planets, Nature, 548, 183 (2017)
Stellar remnants
Gravitational microlensing is the only method that allows one to detect dark isolated stellar remnants.
- Mróz, P., Udalski, A. & Gould, A. Systematic Errors as a Source of Mass Discrepancy in Black Hole Microlensing Event OGLE-2011-BLG-0462, ApJL, 937, 24 (2022)
- Mróz, P. & Wyrzykowski, Ł. Measuring the Mass Function of Isolated Stellar Remnants with Gravitational Microlensing. Revisiting the OGLE-III Dark Lens Candidates, Acta Astron., 71, 89 (2021)
Impact of satellite constellations on astronomical observations
- Mróz, P., Otarola, A., Prince, T., et al. Impact of the SpaceX Starlink Satellites on the Zwicky Transient Facility Survey Observations, ApJL, 924, 30 (2022)
Machine learning
I am interested in using modern machine learning techniques for solving astrophysical problems.
- Mróz, P. Identifying microlensing events using neural networks, Acta Astron., 70, 169 (2020)
Modeling gravitational microlensing events
Gravitational microlensing enables one to detect dark and cold objects that are nearly impossible to detect othewise. I am an expert in modeling the light curves of microlensing events.
- Mróz, P. AI providing new light on lensing degeneracies, Nature Astronomy 6, 744 (2022).
- Wyrzykowski, Ł., Mróz, P., Rybicki, K., et al. Full orbital solution for the binary system in the northern Galactic disk microlensing event Gaia16aye, A&A, 633, A98 (2020)
- Mróz, P., Udalski, A., Bond, I.A., et al. OGLE-2013-BLG-0132Lb and OGLE-2013-BLG-1721Lb: Two Saturn-mass Planets Discovered around M-dwarfs, AJ, 154, 205 (2017)
- Mróz, P., Han, C., Udalski, A., et al. OGLE-2016-BLG-0596Lb: A High-mass Planet from a High-magnification Pure-survey Microlensing Event, AJ, 153, 143 (2017)
Modeling the structure of the Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds
I use a variety of tracers (variable stars, microlensing events) to study the structure and history of the Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds.
- Mróz, P., Udalski, A., Szymański, M.K., et al. Microlensing optical depth and event rate in the OGLE-IV Galactic plane fields, ApJS, 249, 16 (2020)
- Skowron, D.M., Skowron, J., Mróz, P., et al. A three-dimensional map of the Milky Way using classical Cepheid variable stars, Science, 365, 478 (2019)
- Mróz, P., Udalski, A., Skowron, J., et al. Microlensing optical depth and event rate toward the Galactic bulge from eight years of OGLE-IV observations, ApJS, 244, 29 (2019)
- Mróz, P., Udalski, A., Skowron, D.M., et al. Rotation curve of the Milky Way from Classical Cepheids, ApJL, 870, 10 (2019)
- Mróz, P. & Poleski, R. New Self-lensing Models of the Small Magellanic Cloud: Can Gravitational Microlensing Detect Extragalactic Exoplanets?, AJ, 155, 154 (2018)
- Jacyszyn-Dobrzeniecka, A., Skowron, D.M., Mróz, P., et al. OGLE-ing the Magellanic System: Three-Dimensional Structure of the Clouds and the Bridge Using RR Lyrae Stars, Acta Astron., 67, 1 (2017)
- Jacyszyn-Dobrzeniecka, A., Skowron, D.M., Mróz, P., et al. OGLE-ing the Magellanic System: Three-Dimensional Strucytre of the Clouds and the Bridge Using Classical Cepheids, Acta Astron., 66, 149 (2016)
Variable stars
- Mróz, P., Udalski, A., Pietrukowicz, P., et al. The awakening of a classical nova from hibernation, Nature, 537, 649 (2016)
- Mróz, P., Udalski, A., Poleski, R., et al. OGLE Atlas of Classical Novae. II. Magellanic Clouds, ApJS, 222, 9 (2016)
- Mróz, P., Udalski, A., Poleski, R., et al. OGLE Atlas of Classical Novae. I. Galactic Bulge Objects, ApJS, 219, 26 (2015)
Author and coauthor of 280 refereed publications, including 26 as the first author and 9 in Nature/Science (3 as the first author). Author of 27 ATels. Total number of citations: 8409 (according to the SAO/NASA Database). My H-index is 49 (according to the SAO/NASA Database).
Education and Experience
Adiunkt (Assistant Professor)
University of Warsaw, Poland
Postdoctoral scholar in astronomy
California Institute of Technology, USA
Visiting Student Researcher
IPAC, California Institute of Technology, USA
Ph.D. in Astronomy
University of Warsaw, Poland
M.Sc. in Astronomy
University of Warsaw, Poland
B.Sc. in Astronomy
University of Warsaw, Poland
Grants and awards
- 2024: SONATA grant of the Polish National Science Center (project: Shedding Light on the Dark Milky Way: from Dark Matter to Astrophysical Black Holes)
- 2023: Scholarship of the Polish Minister of Education and Science for young scientists
- 2021: OPUS grant of the Polish National Science Center (project: Measuring the abundance of massive black holes in the Milky Way halo)
- 2020: Nicolaus Copernicus Award of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences
- 2020: Polish Prime Minister Prize for Remarkable Scientific Achievements
- 2020: Frank Wilczek Award
- 2020: International Astronomical Union PhD Prize
- 2020: NASA TESS Guest Investigator Program (project: Discovering black holes in detached binary systems)
- 2018: ETIUDA scholarship of the Polish National Science Center (project: Astrophysical applications of gravitational microlensing in the Milky Way)
- 2018: START fellowship of the Foundation for Polish Science (with distinction)
- 2017: Polish Astronomical Society Young Scientist Award
- 2016: Bardadin-Otwinowska Award for the best original M.Sc. thesis prepared at the Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw
- 2014: "Diamond Grant" of the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education
- 2010: Absolute Winner of the 4th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics, Beijing, China
- 2009: Gold Medal in the 3rd International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics, Tehran, Iran
Talks
Seminar presentations
- 05/2024: Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences, Kraków, Poland
- 05/2024: Center for Theoretical Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warszawa, Poland
- 01/2024: Astronomical Observatory of Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
- 08/2022: Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Daejeon, South Korea
- 03/2022: Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center, Polish Academy of Sciences, Toruń, Poland
- 10/2021: Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- 04/2021: Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- 03/2021: Astronomical Observatory, University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland
- 01/2021: University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- 11/2020: National Centre for Nuclear Research, Warszawa, Poland
- 10/2020: Astronomical Observatory, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
- 07/2019: Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- 04/2019: IPAC, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- 04/2019: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- 01/2019: Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
- 12/2018: Institute of Astronomy, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
- 11/2018: Tsinghua Center for Astrophysics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- 05/2018: Astronomical Observatory of Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
- 05/2018: Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Institute, Hawaii, USA
Conferences, Workshops, & Schools (selected)
- 08/2024: International Astronomical Union General Assembly 2024, Cape Town, South Africa
- 06/2024: From GRAVITY(+) Towards a Kilometers Baseline, Large Telescope Interferometer, Schloss Ringberg, Germany
- 06/2024: Symbiotic stars, weird novae, and related embarrassing binaries, Prague, Czech Republic
- 04/2024: SEEC Symposium: Pathways to Characterizing Non-Transiting Planets, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
- 03/2024: Roadmap to the next-generation infrared interferometric facility, London, UK
- 01/2024: 26th International Microlensing Conference, Livermore, CA, USA
- 09/2023: 41st Polish Astronomical Society Assembly, Toruń, Poland
- 07/2023: European Astronomical Society Annual Meeting 2023, Kraków, Poland
- 09/2022: 25th International Microlensing Conference, Paris, France
- 08/2022: International Astronomical Union General Assembly 2022, Busan, South Korea
- 06/2021: European Astronomical Society Annual Meeting 2021, online
- 02/2021: GRAVITY+ Community Workshop, online
- 01/2021: 11th OPTICON Gaia Science Alerts workshop, online
- 11/2020: Exoplanet Demographics, Pasadena, CA, USA
- 01/2019: 23rd International Microlensing Conference, New York City, NY, USA
- 04/2018: European Week of Astronomy and Space Science 2018, Liverpool, UK
- 03/2018: Life on Earth and beyond: emergence, survivability, and impact on the environment, Bertinoro, Italy
- 01/2018: 22nd International Microlensing Conference, Auckland, New Zealand
- 09/2017: 38th Polish Astronomical Society Assembly, Zielona Góra, Poland
- 07/2017: Celebrating 25 years of the OGLE project, Warszawa, Poland
- 02/2017: Ushering in the New Era of Microlensing from Space. 21st International Microlensing Conference, Pasadena, CA, USA
- 09/2015: The Golden Age of Cataclysmic Variables and Related Objects - III, Palermo, Italy
- 08/2015: iPTF Summer School, Pasadena, CA, USA
They wrote about my research:
- IEEE Spectrum: A trillion rogue planets and not one sun to shine on them
- space.com: Missing Milky Way black holes are bad news for this dark matter theory
- National Geographic: Czy czarne dziury tworzą ciemną materię? Polscy astronomowie podważają głośną hipotezę
- Gazeta Wyborcza: Czarne dziury to nie macho. Polacy rozprawili się z jedną z popularnych hipotez na temat ciemnej materii w kosmosie
- Supercluster: Microlensing is revealing a hidden universe
- Science: Starlink contaminates astronomical survey
- Nature: ‘Unsustainable’: how satellite swarms pose a rising threat to astronomy
- Gazeta Wyborcza: Pierwsza samotna czarna dziura! Przełomowe odkrycie polskiego zespołu OGLE i teleskopu Hubble'a
- Astronomy: Starlink satellite streaks: How big of a problem are they?
- Polityka: Po co nam dziesiątki tysięcy satelitów na orbicie?
- Gazeta Wyborcza: Gigantyczne czarne dziury pędzą ku sobie. Niezwykłe odkrycie astrofizyków
- Wall Street Journal: SpaceX’s Starlink Satellites Are Photobombing Astronomy Images, Study Says
- Sky & Telesope: Starlink satellites don't impact science (yet)
- Scientific American: SpaceX’s Starlink Satellites Leave Streaks in Asteroid-Hunting Telescope’s Images
- Astronomy: The galaxy's marvelous rogues and misfits
- Caltech Magazine: Story of a Lonely Planet
- Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: Einsame Erden
- Polityka: Kosmiczne single
- Atlantic: The Rogue Planets That Wander the Galaxy Alone
- space.com: Tiny rogue planet is the smallest free-floating exoplanet candidate yet
- Scientific American: Rogue Rocky Planet Found Adrift in the Milky Way
- New Scientist: An Earth-sized rogue planet is roaming the galaxy without a star
- Spektrum: Miliarden frei fliegender Planeten
- ESA: Global Gaia campaign reveals secrets of stellar pair
- Nature: Milky Way's twisted spiral revealed in 3D
- space.com: This 3D map of the Milky Way is the Best View Yet of Our Galaxy's Warped, Twisted Shape
- Guardian: Most detailed ever 3D map of Milky Way shows 'warped' shape
- Gazeta Wyborcza: Trójwymiarowa mapa Drogi Mlecznej z wielką zagadką. Co zwichrowało naszą Galaktykę?
- New Scientist: Two new rogue planets that do not orbit stars have been discovered
- space.com: Einstein's Theory Helps ID First Exoplanets Outside Milky Way
- Scientific American: Wandering in the Void, Billions of Rogue Planets without a Home
- Nature: The hunt for rogue planets just got tougher
- Gazeta Wyborcza: Polscy astronomowie natrafili na samotne Ziemie. Planety, nad którymi nie wschodzi żadne słońce
- Guardian: Astronomers capture a nova - a brilliant moment in the life cycle of a star