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Erin Kara is an observational astrophysicist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, specializing in the dynamics and influence of black holes on their surrounding environments. She employs advanced techniques such as X-ray reverberation mapping to study gas and plasma dynamics near black holes, enabling her to measure effects of strongly curved spacetime in close proximity to event horizons. Her research encompasses a variety of transient phenomena including Tidal Disruption Events and Quasi-Periodic Eruptions from galactic black holes. Kara is involved in future space mission development; she serves as Deputy Principal Investigator for the AXIS Probe Mission Concept and participates in various international NASA projects, such as the XRISM Mission focusing on high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy, set to launch in 2023, and the ULTRASAT mission scheduled for 2027. Kara's innovative approaches to studying supermassive black holes have earned her numerous awards, including the 2022 Newton Lacy Pierce Prize from the American Astronomical Society and the 2022 Rossi Prize for her contributions to high-energy astrophysics.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology • Cambridge, MA
Joined the MIT faculty in the Department of Physics, focusing on observational astrophysics.