Visiting Researcher · KIAA, Peking University

Ashwani
Pandey

Ph.D. in Physics (Astronomy & Astrophysics)

Very high energy (VHE) γ-ray astrophysicist with extensive experience in stereo Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope (VERITAS) observations. Researching time-domain variability, broadband spectral modeling, and non-thermal emission from blazars, AGN, and relativistic jets using GammaPy and multiwavelength data from Fermi-LAT, Swift, XMM-Newton, and NuSTAR.

40+Publications
14+Lead-author publications
6+Years Post PhD Research Experience
JWST
Ashwani Pandey

Research & Expertise

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Research Focus

Very high energy (VHE) γ-ray astrophysics with the VERITAS stereo IACT array, focused on time-domain variability, broadband spectral modeling, and non-thermal emission from AGN, relativistic jets, and TeV blazars. Studies particle acceleration and transient phenomena in these sources.

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Computational Methods

End-to-end VHE data analysis with GammaPy — from event-level data to spectral and spatial likelihood modeling — including joint fits combining VERITAS, MAGIC, and LST-1 with Fermi-LAT, X-ray, and optical data. Cross-validated against the collaboration-level VEGAS pipeline.

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Current Position

Visiting Researcher with Prof. Luis C. Ho at the Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics (KIAA), Peking University, Beijing, China (since June 2026). Previously a Postdoctoral Research Associate with Prof. Qi Feng on the VERITAS collaboration at the University of Utah (2024–2026), and held postdoctoral fellowships at the Center for Theoretical Physics PAS (Warsaw), the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA, Bengaluru), and ARIES (Nainital). Ph.D. in Physics (Astronomy & Astrophysics) on multi-wavelength studies of TeV blazars, ARIES / DDU Gorakhpur University, India (2019).

Programming

PythonLinux ShellHTML/CSS

VHE / IACT & Gamma-ray Analysis

GammaPyVEGASFermitoolsFermipy

X-ray & Optical Analysis

HEASoftSASCIAOFTOOLSXSPECDS9IRAF/DoPHOT

SED Modelling

JetSeT

Infrastructure & Tools

GitGitHubHPCLaTeXVS Code
Jun 2026 – present
Visiting Researcher
With Prof. Luis C. Ho · Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics (KIAA), Peking University, Beijing, China
Sep 2024 – Mar 2026
Postdoctoral Research Associate (VERITAS)
With Prof. Qi Feng · Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Nov 2022 – Aug 2024
Postdoctoral Fellow
With Prof. Bozena Czerny · Center for Theoretical Physics PAS, Warsaw, Poland
Jan 2021 – Nov 2022
Postdoctoral Fellow
With Prof. C. S. Stalin · Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, India
Jun 2019 – Jan 2021
Postdoctoral Fellow
Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital, India
2014 – 2019
Ph.D. in Physics (Astronomy & Astrophysics)
Multi-wavelength Studies of TeV Blazars · DDU Gorakhpur University, India
2011 – 2013
M.Sc. in Physics
Kumaun University, Nainital, India
2005 – 2008
B.Sc. in Physics, Chemistry & Mathematics
Kumaun University, Nainital, India
#168
CSIR-UGC NET
National college teaching eligibility · June 2014
#275
GATE
National masters/PhD admission test · March 2014
#293
JEST
National PhD admissions test · February 2014

Publications

01
A Multiwavelength Study of a Long-Duration VHE Flare from BL Lacertae with VERITAS
VERITAS Collaboration (including Ashwani Pandey)
ApJ, accepted · 2026
02
Interpreting Swift and NuSTAR Observations of the Low-Luminosity AGN NGC 4278 with Radiatively Inefficient Accretion Flows
A. Das, Q. Feng, E. Young, Ashwani Pandey, S. S. Kimura, K. Murase
ApJ, 1006, 186 · 2026
03
A Multiwavelength Interpretation of HESS J1857+026 Emission Using Fermi-LAT, VERITAS, and HAWC
The Fermi-LAT Collaboration et al. (including Ashwani Pandey)
ApJ, 1005, 208 · 2026
04
The Exceptional 2017 γ-Ray Flare of the Radio Galaxy NGC 1275: VERITAS and Multiwavelength Observations
A. Acharyya et al., VERITAS Collaboration (including Ashwani Pandey)
ApJ, 1006, 12 · 2026
05
Investigation of the Microquasar SS 433 with VERITAS
A. Archer et al., VERITAS Collaboration (including Ashwani Pandey)
ApJ, 1002, 88 · 2026
06
VERITAS Observations Contemporaneous with the LHAASO Detection of NGC 4278
A. Archer et al., VERITAS Collaboration (including Ashwani Pandey)
ApJ, 1001, 199 · 2026
07
Prompt Searches for Very-high-energy γ-Ray Counterparts to IceCube Astrophysical Neutrino Alerts
J. Abhir et al. (including Ashwani Pandey)
ApJ, 997, 141 · 2026
08
Probing a Cosmogenic Origin of Astrophysical Neutrinos and Cosmic Rays Using Gamma-ray Observations of TXS 0506+056
VERITAS Collaboration (including Ashwani Pandey)
ApJ, 996, 38 · 2026
Google Scholar ↗

Seminars & Conferences

🌍 International
Oral"VERITAS Observations of Changing-look Blazars"
ICRC 2025 · Geneva, Switzerland · July 2025
Colloquium"Unveiling Transitional Blazars: A Multiwavelength Approach"
IRyA, UNAM · Morelia, Mexico · February 2025
Colloquium"Iron Emission in Active Galactic Nuclei"
NAOC · Beijing, China · August 2024
Colloquium"New Theoretical Fe II Templates for Bright Quasars"
IHEP · Beijing, China · July 2024
Poster"Broad-line region in active galactic nuclei: Dusty or dustless?"
The Restless Nature of AGN: 10 Years Later · Naples, Italy · June 26–30, 2023
Oral"X-ray Intraday Flux and Spectral Variability of TeV Blazars with NuSTAR"
Half a Century of Blazars and Beyond · Torino, Italy · June 11–15, 2018
Oral"X-ray Intra-day Variability of Five TeV Blazars with NuSTAR"
Wide Band Spectral and Timing Studies of Cosmic X-ray Sources · TIFR, Mumbai · Jan 2017
WorkshopBroadband Spectral and Timing Studies with Astrosat, Chandra and XMM-Newton
COSPAR Capacity Building Workshop · IISER Mohali, India · March 9–20, 2019
🇮🇳 National
Oral"Detection of minute-timescale γ-ray variability in BL Lacertae by Fermi-LAT"
41st Annual Meeting, Astronomical Society of India · IIT Indore · March 1–5, 2023
Thesis Talk"Multi-wavelength Studies of TeV Blazars"
38th Annual Meeting, ASI · IISER Tirupati · February 13–17, 2020
Oral"X-ray Intra-day Variability of Five TeV Blazars with NuSTAR"
RETCO-III · IIST Thiruvananthapuram · June 5–7, 2017
WorkshopASTROSAT Data Analysis Workshop
Tezpur University · May 3–5, 2017

Contact

I'm open to collaborations, research discussions, and academic connections. Feel free to reach out through any of the channels below.

Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics (KIAA)
Peking University
Beijing, China