Research

My research spans from probability to optimization, from pure math to astronomy. I am particularly interested in designing optical systems for high-contrast imaging with the hope of using such systems to one day take direct images, and eventually spectra, of Earth-like exoplanets.

Talks

2026

Spring Into Astronomy   Spring Into Science, Frick Atrium, Princeton University, April 18

Sizing Up The Universe   Astro Club, Steinert Hamilton High School, Hamilton NJ, March 12

Capturing Dynamic Astronomical Objects   Astronomers Association of Princeton, Princeton NJ, March 10

Astrophotography is Fun   North Brunswick High School STEM Event, North Brunswick NJ, March 5

Astrophotography is Fun   Montgomery Friends of Open Space, Montgomery NJ, March 1

Stellar Dynamics and the n-Body Problem   NJ Astronomical Group, Morristown NJ, February 14

Capturing Dynamic Astromoical Objects   WinterSession, 140 Peyton Hall, January 20

2025

Capturing Dynamic Astromoical Objects   NJ Astronomical Group, Morristown NJ, October 14

Astrophotography is Fun   Active Day, Hamilton NJ, September 24

Complex Roots of Random Sums   Random Polynomials and their Applications, ICERM, Province RI, August 6

Sizing Up The Universe: A First-Year Seminar   Princeton Club of Wisconsin, Menomonee Falls WI, Jun 26

Capturing Dynamic Astronomical Objects   Morris Museum Astonomical Society,   Morristown NJ, May 10

Astronomy is Exciting   Take Your Child To Work Day,   Lewis Library, Princeton, April 24

Total Lunar Eclipse, March 14, 2025   AAAP Astroimagers,   Zoom, March 25

Astrophotography Is Fun   Monty Girl Scouts,   March 3

Astrophotography Is Fun   Plainsboro Preserve,   March 1

Astrophotography Is Fun   Hopewell Middle School,   Jan. 24

2024

Astronomy... Things Both Near and Far   Carnegie Post Acute Care Center,   Princeton, October 11

Astronomy... Things Both Near and Far   Summer of a Lifetime Program,   Princeton, August 6

The 2024 Eclipse and Some Astrophotography   Astronomy On Tap,   Trenton Social, Apr. 17

2023

Two Topics: A New Flat Map and Imaging Exoplanets   Industrial and System Eng.,   Rutgers Univ., Oct. 25

Photographing Things Above   Princeton Photography Club,   The Watershed Institute, Sept. 20

The Parametric Self-Dual Simplex Method Revisited   Freund Fest,   MIT, August 19

Public Observing   Peyton Hall,   Princeton, August 16

Astronomy... Things Both Near and Far   Summer of a Lifetime Program,   Princeton, August 15

Astronomy... Things Both Near and Far   Summer of a Lifetime Program,   Princeton, August 10

Astronomy: Things Both Near and Far   Hopewell Elementary School,   February 22

2022

Sizing Up The Universe   Princeton Club of Saint Louis,   November 11

Three Topics: Optimization History, Flat Maps, Complex Roots   Math Dept,   George Mason Univ., October 21

Astronomy... Things Both Near and Far   STEP Program,   Princeton, July 14 and 20

Reconnect 2022 -- Optimization   DIMACS Reconnect,   ETS, Jun 13

Welcome to the Universe in 3D   Amateur Astronomers Association of Princeton,   Zoom, May 10

Sizing Up The Universe   Princeton Club of Rochester NY,   Zoom, Apr 14

Flat Maps via Stress Minimization   INFORMS Philadelphia Chapter,   Zoom, Feb 16

2021

Stability of Ring Systems   PU Rocketry Club,   Zoom, Dec 1

AstroDynamics   Lehigh Valley Amateur Astronomical Society,   Zoom, Feb 14

Astrophotographs   AAAP Journal Club Talk,   Zoom, Jan 12

2020

Astrophotographs: Things Both Near and Far   Princeton Class of '77,   Zoom, Nov 1

AstroDynamics   AAAP,   Zoom, May 12

Mercury Transit 2019   AAAP Peyton Hall, Princeton University, Mar 10 (cancelled by corona virus)

2019

The Parametric Self-Dual Simplex Method: A Modern Perspective   INFORMS Student Chapter Lehigh, Nov 5

Sudoku via Optimization   INFORMS Seattle, Oct 21

The Parametric Self-Dual Simplex Method: A Modern Perspective   INFORMS Seattle, Oct 21

Optimization Ideas, Algorithms, Tools, and Examples   Informal Seminar Institute for Advanced Study, Sept 26

Fun with M1 and M13   Coffee Talk Institute for Advanced Study, Sept 11

The Universe and the Night Sky   Princeton Public Library Princeton NJ, Aug 14

Photographing the Night Sky   Princeton Public Library Princeton NJ, July 1

Astrophotographs   Princeton Public Library Princeton NJ, Jun 24

Sizing Up The Universe: A Freshman Seminar   Princeton Club of Western Washington Seattle WA, Jun 9

2018

Sparsity Matters   INFORMS Phoenix, Nov 5

Spectroscopy for the Amateur Astrophotographer   AAAP, Peyton Hall, Princeton University, Sep 11

Complex Roots of Random Sums  Optimal Stopping Conference, Rice Univ., Jun 26

2017

Eclipse of the Century   Montgomery / Rocky Hill Rotary Club, CVCC, Nov 2

Sparsity Matters   Khachiyan Prize Talk, INFORMS Houston, Oct 22

Geometric Visualization of LP Algorithms   INFORMS Houston, Oct 22

Sparsity Matters   Colloquium, IDA-CCR, Sep 20

Direct Imaging Earth-Like Planets in Habitable Zones   Wunch Princeton Univ., Mar 29

Space Mission Concepts to Image Earth-Like Planets   Amateur Astronomers, Inc. Union College, Jan 20

2016

Numerical Optimization Applied to Space-Related Problems   Cornell, Ctr. for Applied Math Ithaca NY, Nov 18

Two New Efficient Algorithms for Compressed Sensing   INFORMS Nashville, Nov 16

Linear, Conic, and Non-Convex Formulations of the High Contrast Imaging Problem   MOPTA, Aug 17

Two New Efficient Algorithms for Compressed Sensing   INFORMS Int'l, Hilton Waikoloa, Hawaii, Jun 12

The Earth Is Not Flat   DIMACS REU, Rutgers Univ, Jun 7

Space Mission Concepts to Image Earth-Like Planets   Drexel Univ, Feb 26

2015

Fast Algorithms for LAD Lasso Problems   INFORMS Philadelphia, Nov 3

Finding Stable Periodic Solutions to the n-Body Problem via Robust Opt.  INFORMS Philadelphia, Nov 2

Sizing Up the Universe   Princeton Alumni Retreat, Mohonk Mountain Lodge, Oct 3

Numerical Optimization Applied to Space-Related Problems  MOPTA, Lehigh Univ., Jul 20

Numerical Optimization Applied to Space-Related Problems  ISMP 2015, Jul 16

Numerical Optimization Applied to Space-Related Problems   Carnegie Mellon Univ., Apr 10

Operations Scheduling for the LSST   LSST Scheduler Workshop, Tucson AZ, Mar 18

Numerical Optimization Applied to Space-Related Problems   AMS Sectional Meeting, Georgetown Univ, Mar 8

2014

Solving the n-Body Problem by Minimizing the Action Functional   MOPTA, Lehigh Univ, Aug 15

L1 Regularization via the Parametric Simplex Method   MOPTA, Lehigh Univ, Aug 13

Sparsification and Parameterization   ONR Grantee's Meeting, MIT, Jun 24

L1 Regularization via the Parametric Simplex Method   SIOPT, San Diego, May 19

Local Warming   WID-DOW, University of Wisconsin-Madison, May 5

From Bandits to Dishonest Statisticians   Shepp-Fest, Columbia University, Apr 25

Imaging The Universe   AAAP, Peyton Hall, Princeton University, Apr 8

New Efficient Algorithms for Compressed Sensing   AMS Sectional Meeting, Univ. of Maryland, Mar 29

Optimization for Compressed Sensing   Ind. and Sys. Eng, University of Florida, Mar 21

New Stable Periodic Solutions to the n-Body Problem   PACM, Princeton University, Feb 17

Space Mission Concepts To Image Earth-Like Planets In Habitable Zones   MEM, Lehigh University, Jan 31

2013

High-Contrast Imaging and the Search for Exo-Earths   Amateur Astronomers, Inc., Union College, Sep 20

Fast Fourier Optimization   MOPTA, Lehigh Univ., Aug 16

High-Contrast Imaging via Pupil Masking   AFTA Coronagraph Workshop, Princeton Univ., July 24

Is Anyone Else Out There?   AAAP 50th Anniversary Panel, Institute for Advanced Study, May 11

Fast-Fourier Optimization   Optimization Days, GERAD, May 8

Fast-Fourier Optimization   Industrial and Systems Engineering, Lehigh Univ., Apr. 3

Fast-Fourier Optimization   Math Dept., Univ. Pennsylvania, March 15

Imaging the Universe   Butler College, Princeton Univ, Feb. 20

2012

Fast Fourier Optimization   INFORMS, Phoenix AZ, Oct. 13

Sizing Up The Universe   S*T*A*R Astronomy Club, Lincroft NJ, Sep. 6

Fast-Fourier Optimization   ISMP 2012, Berlin, Aug. 22

Amateur Astronomy in NJ   Exploring The Night, South Brunswick Library, Aug. 7

High-Contrast Imaging via Fast-Fourier Optimization   SIAM Annual Meeting 2012, Minneapolis, Jul. 9

Interior Point Methods and Nonlinear Optimization   Machine Learning Summer School, Canary Islands, Apr. 16

Linear Optimization: Duality, Simplex Methods   Machine Learning Summer School, Canary Islands, Apr. 14

Linear Optimization: Methods and Examples   Machine Learning Summer School, Canary Islands, Apr. 14

2011

New Pupil Masks for High-Contrast Imaging: Fast-Fourier Optimization   Goddard Space Flight Center, Dec. 14

Local Warming: Climate Change Comes Home   Wharton Statistics Dept., Nov. 2

Sizing Up The Universe   Grand Rapids Amateur Astronomical Assn., July 6

Sizing Up The Universe   Montclair State College., Jun 8

Sizing Up The Universe   UACNJ Astronomy Day, Warren County Library, NJ, May 14

Sizing Up The Universe   Yuri's Night, West Windsor NJ, Apr 12

Taming Diffraction to Search for Exoplanets   Princeton Center for Theoretical Science, Apr 7

Local Warming   GERAD, Montreal Canada, Mar 17

Local Warming   INFORMS Computing Society, Monterey CA, Jan 11

2010

Space Mission Concepts to Image Earth-Like Planets in Habitable Zones   American Museum of Natural History, Dec 6

Sizing Up The Universe   Montgomery Rotary Club., Nov 11

Local Warming   INFORMS, Austin TX, Nov 8

Sizing Up The Universe   UACNJ Jenny Jump, Oct 29

The Search for Earth-Like Planets   DIMACS REU Program, Rutgers University, Jun 22

The Search for Earth-Like Planets   Princeton Club of Vero Beach, Mar 29

The Earth Is Not Flat   Geometry Class at MHS, Mar 22

2009

Non-Redundant Pupil Masking   Princeton TPF Group, Nov 6

The Limits of High-Contrast Imaging in Visible Light   Princeton TPF Group, Oct 31

New Solutions to the n-Body Problem via NLP   INFORMS San Diego, Oct 11

Optimization in Engineering Design   High-Performance Computing Workshop, Lehigh University, Oct 5

Direct Imaging of Extrasolar Planets   StarConn09, Wesleyan University, Jun 6

Linear Stability of Ring Systems   PACM, Fine Hall, Princeton University, Apr 3

Extinguishing Poisson's Spot with Linear Programming  INFORMS Computing Society, Charleston SC, Jan 13

2008

The Search for Earth-like Planets: Yes We Can  Princeton Alumni Association of Canada, Toronto, Nov 11

Making Dark Shadows with Linear Programming  Univ. of Waterloo, Nov 10

Making Dark Shadows with Linear Programming  INFORMS, Washington DC, Oct 13

Optimization in Engineering Design  MAE, Princeton Univ., Oct 10

Extinguishing Poisson's Spot with Linear Programming  SIAG OPT, Boston, May 13

Digitizing the Universe  Lunch 'n Learn, Feb 27

2007

Detecting ExtraSolar Planets: A Survey of Methods and Results  PICASso, Dec 10

Purple America: Using Color to Convey Information  Politics Department, Princeton Univ., Dec 7

Astrophotography  AstroCon IV, Jun 27

Stability of Ring Systems with Oblate Central Body  AstroCon IV, Jun 27

Detecting ExtraSolar Planets: A Survey of Methods and Results  NJAA, May 26

Optimized vs. Hypergaussian Occulters: A Comparative Sensitivity Analysis  NASA Ames, May 18

Parametric Linear Programming and Portfolio Optimization   Cowles Foundation, Yale University, Mar 20

High-Contrast Space Occulter   TPF-Lite Meeting, Princeton University, Mar 16

Pupil Mapping (aka PIAA)   TPF-Lite Meeting, Princeton University, Mar 16

Linear Stability of Ring Systems   PACM, Fine Hall, Princeton University, Mar 5

Backyard Astrophotography: A How-To Story   AAAP, Peyton Hall, Princeton University, Feb 13

2006

Using JAVA Applets to Teach Linear Programming   INFORMS, Pittsburgh PA, Nov 7

Extreme Optics and the Search for Earth-Like Planets   ISMP, Rio de Janeiro, Aug 3

Diffraction Analysis of Apodized Pupil Mapping Systems   SPIE, Orlando FL, Apr 26

Deep Shadow Occulters   Nowhere, Apr 26

2005

JPL/Princeton TPF Review. Pupils: Masking vs. Mapping   JPL Review, Princeton University, Nov 3

Frontiers of Stochastically Nondominated Portfolios   New Horizons talk at Sac Capital Mgmt, Oct 8

Searching for Earth-Like Planets   S*T*A*R Astronomy Club, Middletown NJ, Oct 6

Diffraction Analysis of 2-D Pupil Remapping for High-Contrast Imaging   SPIE, San Diego CA, Aug 4

Fresnel Analysis of Shaped Pupil Systems for Planet Finding   SPIE, San Diego CA, Aug 4

Horsing Around on Saturn   New Trends in Astrodynamics II, Princeton NJ, Jun 5

Parametric Linear Programming and Portfolio Optimization   SIAM Stockholm, May 19

The Search for Earth-Like Planets   Georgia Tech, Apr 20

2004

Engineering Applications of Nonlinear Optimization   INFORMS Denver, Oct 25

Optimization Problems Arising in Optics and Mechanics   Center for Applied Mathematics, Cornell Univ, Oct 1

Astroimages from New Jersey   UACNJ, Jenny Jump, Sep 18

CCD Imaging with Small Instruments in Light-Polluted Skies   UACNJ, Jenny Jump, Jun 26

Shaped-Pupil Coronagraphs as High-Contrast Imagers for TPF   LSNSDP, University of Waterloo, May 14

New Orbits for the Equimass n-Body Problem   LSNSDP, University of Waterloo, May 14

Shaped Pupils (and Other Stuff)   JPL Review, Princeton University, Mar 23

On Fair and Balanced Presentations of Election Results   PACM, Fine Hall, Princeton Univ., Feb 14

Search for Earth-Like Planets: NASA's Terrestrial Planet Finder Mission   AAAP, Peyton Hall, Princeton Univ., Jan 11

2003

On Designing NASA's Terrestrial Planet Finder Space Telescope   INFORMS Atlanta, GA, Oct 20

Nonlinear Optimization Arising in Celestial Mechanics   INFORMS Atlanta, GA, Oct 19

New Pupil Masks for High-Contrast Imaging   SPIE San Diego, CA, Aug 5

The Terrestrial Planet Finder Mission   Starquest'03, Hope NJ, Jun 28

The Terrestrial Planet Finder Mission   New Jersey Astronomy Group, Montclair State University, Jun 11

Engineering Applications of Nonlinear Optimization   Courant Institute, NYU, May 8

On Designing NASA's Terrestrial Planet Finder Space Telescope   Lehigh University, PA, Apr 16

New Orbits for the Equimass n-Body Problem   New Trends in Astrodynamics, College Park MD, Jan 20

2002

Designing a Space Telescope to Image Earth-like Planets   Statistics, Rutgers, Dec 4

Frontiers of Stochastically Nondominated Portfolios   IOE Univ. of Michigan, Nov 9

CCD Astrophotography with a 3.5 inch Questar Stella-Della, Ottsville PA, Oct 5

Terrestrial Planet Finder: Detecting and Characterizing Earth-like Planets Orbiting Nearby Stars UACNJ, Jenny Jump NJ, Sep 28

Optimal Shaped Pupil Coronagraphs for Extrasolar Planet Finding SPIE, Hawaii, Aug 26

Shape Optimization in Designing the ``Terrestrial Planet Finder'' Telescope SIAM, Toronto, May 21

Least Action Principle and the $n$-Body Problem   PACM, Feb 6

Engineering Applications of Nonlinear Optimization Oberwolfach workshop on Continuous Optimization with Industrial Applications, Jan 16

2001

Tutorial: New Directions in Linear Programming   INFORMS, Miami Beach, Nov 5

On Solving SOCPs with an Interior-Point Method for NLP   INFORMS, Miami Beach, Nov 5

Solving Trajectory Optimization Problems as Large-Scale NLPs   INFORMS, Miami Beach, Nov 5

Interior-Point Methods for Nonlinear Programming   Large-Scale Optimization, Erice Sicily, July 1

Nonlinear Optimization: Algorithms and Models   McMaster University, Jun 11

2000

Nonlinear Programming Models: A Survey   NJ INFORMS, Rutgers University, Nov 16

Recent Progress with an Interior-Point Method for Large-Scale Nonlinear Programming   ISMP 2000, Atlanta Georgia, Aug 8

An Interior-Point Algorithm for Nonconvex Nonlinear Programming   Level(3) Communications, July 10

Interior-Point Methods for Second-Order-Cone and Semidefinite Programming   25th Lunteren conference on the Mathematics of Operations Research, Jan 13

An Interior-Point Algorithm for Nonconvex Nonlinear Programming   25th Lunteren conference on the Mathematics of Operations Research, Jan 12

Interior-Point Methods for Second-Order-Cone and Semidefinite Programming   Oberwolfach workshop on Continuous Optimization with Industrial Applications, Jan 10

1999

Using LOQO to Solve Second-Order Cone Programming Problems.   SIAM Conf. on Optimization, Atlanta GA

Convex Optimization: Interior-Point Methods and Applications.   Math Dept., Princeton University

A Martingale System Theorem for Stock Investments   DIMACS workshop on New Market Models in Finance, Rutgers Univ., Apr 26

1998

An Interior-Point Algorithm for Nonconvex Nonlinear Programming.   Montreal INFORMS, Spring

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