Alireza Rafiee's Homepage

Public Talks

2011-02-22T16:58:00.000-08:00

2011, 09 Feb - Speaker's Night at Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Toronto Centre
Link

2010, 13 Oct - Astronomy Group Seminar University of Waterloo

Research Interests

2009-02-28T18:12:00.000-08:00

My full CV can be found at this link.

Quasars:
Supermassive Black Holes Mass, Supermassive Black Hole Spin,
Quasar Lifetime, Quasar Duty Cycle, Radiative Efficiency of Black Holes
Quasar Luminosity Function, Black Hole Mass Function
Radio Loud Quasars vs Radio Quiet Quasars

Galaxies:
Double Nucleus Structure, Dynamics of the Double Nucleus,
Bulge mass correlation with Central Black Hole mass
Quasar Phase Feedback on Galaxy Evolution and Star Formation,
Galaxy Star Formation Rate Feedback on Central Black Hole growth

Cosmology:
General Theory of Relativity and Black Hole Structure
Quasar and Galaxy Evolution,
Early Universe Conditions Feedback on Quasar/Galaxy Evolution
Computational Astrophysics:
Image Processing, Data analysis
Simulation and Modeling of Astrophysical Process, Accretion Disk Modeling
Anything else in physics and Astronomy or related subjects when I have time and mood!

Relevant activities prior to PhD

2009-02-28T18:10:00.000-08:00

Hosting a weekly scientific program about astronomy; namely “Gonbade Mina”, at the Zanjan Radio station, Zanjan, Iran, 2000-2001.

Co-supervisor of IASBS observation team for the Solar Eclipse, Iran, 11 August 1999.

Scientific Advisor for the “Adib Astronomical Society”, since 1998.

Co-Organizer and presenter at the second Astronomical Exhibition in Isfahan, Iran, 1997.

Co-Organizer and presenter at the first Astronomical Exhibition in Isfahan, Iran, 1996.

Member of Isfahan observation team for Solar Eclipse under supervision of Dr. Ahmad Kiasatpour, Iran, 24 Oct 1995.

Member of scientific chair committee for establishing and organizing the “Adib Astronomical Society”, 1995 -1998.

Relevant activities during PhD

2009-02-28T18:07:00.000-08:00

Member of the advisory committee of Natural Science Division, York University, 2009-2010
President of the Physics and Astronomy Graduate Executive (PAGE) committee, York University, (2008-2010)

Establishing the Ralph Nicholls Graduate Award in Science Communication, York University, Physics and Astronomy department, Aug 2008 in collaboration with Edward Ackad

Chair of the selection committee for the Ralph Nicholls Graduate Award, during “The 2009 PAGE Conference in memory of the physicist Gustav Robert Kirchhoff ”, Oct 15th, 2009

Chair of the organizing committee for the Physics and Astronomy Graduate Conference at York University, “The 2009 PAGE Conference in memory of the physicist Gustav Robert Kirchhoff ”, Oct 15th, 2009

Chair of the selection committee for the Ralph Nicholls Graduate Award, during “The 2008 Woolly Spider Monkey Conference”, Aug 5th, 2008

Chair of the organizing committee for the Physics and Astronomy Graduate Conference at York University, “The Woolly Spider Monkey Conference”, Aug 5th, 2008

Member of the organizing committee for the Physics and Astronomy Graduate Conference at York University, “The Golden Lion Tamarin Conference”, Aug 30th, 2007

Member of the organizing committee for the Physics and Astronomy Graduate Conference at York University, “The Uakari Conference”, Aug 3rd, 2006

Council at the Graduate Student Association (GSA), York University, (2006-2010)

Member of the Physics and Astronomy Graduate Executive (PAGE) committee, York University, (2005-2008).

Teaching Development Graduate Assistant (TDGA) for Natural Science Division, since 2009

Junior Member of Canadian Astronomical Society (CASCA), since 2006

Junior Member of American Astronomical Society (AAS), since 2006

Organizing a monthly meeting for Persian Graduate Student of Physics, Earth & Space science and chemistry at York University, since 2005.

Organizing Astronomy Journal Club of the physics & astronomy department, York University, (2004-2006).

Teaching Experience

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Lecturer and Course director: NATS1740, Astronomy for non-science major, Enrolment 450 students, York University (Sept 2010-Jan 2011)
Lecturer and Course director: Second year course in Physics an Astronomy discipline; namely Phys2070 “Galaxies and the universe”, at York University (Jan-April 2008)

Demonstrator: First year Astronomy Lab in Natural Science Division; namely NATS1740 “Astronomy”, at York University (Sep 2004- present).

Instructor: Grade 12 high school course; namely Modern Physics, at Pascal Academy, North York, Ontario (Dec-April 2003).

Instructor: Second year course in Physics discipline; namely, Introductory observational astronomy, at Institute for Advance Studies in Basic Sciences (March-June 2002).

Instructor: Elementary Astronomy and Astrophysics, at Adib Teaching Center for Astronomy, Isfahan, (1994 - 1998).

Observational and Data Reduction Experience

2009-02-28T18:04:00.000-08:00

Observation CoI., Data acquisition with 4-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) using NOAO Extremely Wide-Field Infrared Imager (NEWFIRM) for Dr. Xiaohui Fan proposal number 0418-2007B and under supervision of Dr. Michael Strauss and Dr. Richard Green (Nov 12-16, 2007, Kitt Peak National Observatory).

Observation and photometry with 60cm telescope at York Observatory (2004 - 2005).
Photometric study of an open cluster, NGC 663.
Emission-Line imaging of NGC 2392, the Eskimo Nebula

Equipping the Observatory and Astronomy Lab of the IASBS (in collaboration with Dr. Khosroshahi, between 2001 and 2002).

Four years of observation and photography with MEAD-LX200-12 inch telescope (at Adib Astronomical Society and Isfahan University).

Photometry and CCD imaging and image processing with IRAF.

Talk in Astronomy Journal Club

2009-02-28T18:02:00.000-08:00

Rafiee, A. , A review on Nature letter “Suppression of star formation in early-type galaxies by feedback from supper-massive black holes” by Schawinski et al. (2006), York University, Astronomy Journal Club, 2006

Rafiee, A. , A review on “Black Holes in Binary Systems. Observational Appearance” by Shakura and Sunyaev (1973), York University, Astronomy Journal Club, 2004

Graduate Conference Talk

2009-02-28T18:01:00.000-08:00

Rafiee, A. , “Radiation Screening Effect and Noise factor on Black Hole mass estimates”, York University, The Woolly Spider Monkey Conference, 2008

Rafiee, A. , “Quasar lifetime and Black Hole spin”, York University, The Golden Lion Tamarin Conference, 2007

Rafiee, A. , “On Supper-massive Black Hole mass estimates”, York University, The Red Uakari Monkey Conference, 2006

Rafiee, A. , “Super Massive Black Hole Mass (SMBH) estimation by Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)”, York University, The Capuchin Monkey Conference, 2005

Research Experience

2009-02-28T17:55:00.000-08:00

Observation CoI. using NEWFIRM on the KP-4m for Dr. Xiaohui Fan proposal number 0418-2007B and under supervision of Dr. Michael Strauss and Dr. Richard Green (Nov 12-16, 2007 at Kitt Peak National Observatory).

Observation and photometry with 60cm telescope at York Observatory (2004 - 2005).

Equipping the Observatory and Astronomy Lab of the IASBS (in collaboration with Dr. Khosroshahi, between 2001 and 2002).

Four years of observation and photography with MEAD-LX200-12 inch telescope (at Adib Astronomical Society and Isfahan University).

Photometry and CCD imaging and image processing with IRAF.

Refereed Publications

2009-02-28T17:51:00.000-08:00

1- Rafiee, A., Hall, P. B., “Bias-free C IV Based Supermassive Black Hole Mass” in preparation.

2- Rafiee, A., Hall, P. B., “Biases in the Quasar Mass-Luminosity PLane" Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 415, Issue 3, pages 2932-2941, August 2011.

3- Rafiee, A., Hall, P. B., “Supermassive Black Hole Mass Estimates Using Sloan Digital Sky Survey Quasar Spectra, 0.7 < z < 2.0” The Astrophysical Journal Supplement series, 194, 42, 2011.

4- Rafiee, A., Hall, P. B., “Rapidly Spinning Black Holes in Quasars: An Open Question”, The Astrophysical Journal, 691:425-430, 2009.

5- Hall, P. B., Sadavoy, S. I., Hutsemekers, D., Everett, J. E., Rafiee, A., “Acceleration and Substructure Constrains in a Quasar Outflow”, The Astrophysical Journal, 665:174 -186, 2007.

6- Jalali, M. A., Rafiee, A., “Integrable models of galactic discs with double nuclei”, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 320, 379, 2001.

Conference Presentation Talk

2009-02-28T17:49:00.000-08:00

Rafiee, A., Hall, P, B., “Supermassive Black Hole Mass Estimates Using Sloan Digital Sky Survey Quasar Spectra at z =0.7 to 2.1”. Presented in annual meeting of Canadian Astronomical Society (CASCA) Kingston, Canada, 2007.
Rafiee, A., Jalali, M. A, “Schwarzschild’s method applied to galactic discs with double nuclei”. Presented in 5th annual meeting of Iranian Astronomical Society, Zanjan, Iran, 2001.
Rafiee, A., Jalali, M. A, “Integrable models of galactic discs with double nuclei”. Presented in Regional Conference on Astronomy and Astrophysics, Tabriz, Iran, 2000.

Non-refereed Publications

2009-02-28T17:45:00.000-08:00

Rafiee, A., Hall, P. B., Victoria, Canada, 2008. “Improving Black Hole mass estimates”. Poster presentation in annual meeting of Canadian Astronomical Society (CASCA).
Rafiee, A., Hall, P. B., Texas, USA, 2008. “Quasar lifetimes and Black Hole Spins”, Poster presentation in 211th American Astronomical Society (AAS) winter annual meeting.
Rafiee, A., Hall P.B., Calgary, Canada, 2006. “Supermassive Black Hole Mass Estimates Using Sloan Digital Sky Survey Quasar Spectra”. Poster presentation in 208th American Astronomical Society (AAS) winter annual meeting.
Rafiee, A., Hall P.B., Calgary, Canada, 2006, “Supermassive Black Hole Mass Estimates Using Sloan Digital Sky Survey Quasar Spectra”. Poster presentation in annual meeting of Canadian Astronomical Society (CASCA).
Rafiee, A., Jalali, M. A, Zanjan, Iran, 2000 “Galactic discs with double nuclei”. Poster presentation in 4th annual meeting of Iranian Astronomical Society.

Honors and Awards

2009-02-28T13:48:00.000-08:00

American Astronomical Society, Chambliss Astronomy Achievement student award, honorable mention for poster presentation, at 211th annual meeting of the AAS, Austin, Texas, Jan 10, 2008.

International PhD Research Scholarship of IUCAA, India, 2001, (High Rank in the Joint Entrance Screening Test, JEST)
Ranked among the top two in graduate studies in Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS), Iran, 2001 (2nd Rank)

Outstanding undergraduate student in Isfahan University, Iran, 1998 (1st Rank)

Education and Work History

2009-02-28T13:30:00.000-08:00

2011-Present, Visiting Assistant Professor

Low redshift quasars and their environments
Department of Physics, Astronomy and Geosciences, Towson University, USA

2011-2011(Sept) Research Associate

Scientific Coordinator and Project Planner of the Analogue Mission to Discover the Genesis of Methane on Mars
Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science, York University, Canada

2010-2011(Jan) Postdoc Fellow & University Lecturer

Generating the SDSS, DR7 noise-free spectrum catalog
Teaching Astronomy for non-science major
Physics & Astronomy department, York University, Canada

2004–2010(April) PhD in Physics

Research & Teaching Assistant
Physics and Astronomy department, York University, Canada
Supervisor: Prof. Patrick Hall

2002-2004* Research Associate

Research Scholar, Astronomy & Astrophysics
IUCAA (Inter University Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics), India
Supervisor: Prof. Ajit Kembhavi

2001-2002 Research & Lab Assistant

Physics and Astronomy department, IASBS (Institute for Advanced Studies in Basics Sciences), Iran
Supervisor: Prof. Yousef Sobouti

1998–2001 MSc. in Physics and Astrophysics

Research Assistant
Physics & Astronomy department, IASBS (Institute for Advanced Studies in Basics Sciences), Iran
Supervisor: Prof. Mir Abbas Jalali

1994-1998 BSc. in Physics (Atomic & Molecular Physics)

Physics department, University of Isfahan, Iran
Supervisor: Prof. Ahmad Kiasatpour

* Declined the scholarship to complete the immigration and live in Canada.