Mattia Emma

I am a PhD student in gravitational wave astronomy under the supervision of Dr. Greg Ashton. My research portfolio spans various facets of gravitational wave physics, where I actively contribute as a member of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). One significant aspect of my work involves gravitational wave data analysis, where I delve into the intricacies of parameter estimation. Thus far I have been looking into the problems arising from the approximations used in our analysis with the increasing amount of detected signals, and into the benefits introduced by using more detectors for the analysis and their dependence on the performance of the single detectors.

Following my MSc in Astrophysics in Potsdam, where I focused on Numerical Relativity simulations, I am still collaborating with Prof. Dr.  Tim Deatrich and Dr. Violetta Sagun, specifically exploring dark matter-admixed neutron stars and their detectability through our current and future ground-based detectors. I have completed my BSc in Physics at La Sapienza University in Rome, Italy, where my thesis on the constraints on the tidal deformability of neutron stars through gravitational waves was supervised by Prof. Dr. Francesco Pannarale.

Beyond the academic realm, I am passionately committed to fostering equal access to education globally. As a Cumberland Lodge Fellow in the 2023-2025 cohort, I actively participate in initiatives aimed at raising awareness of societal issues and trying to find solutions through dialogue. In this pursuit, in 2019 I founded a non-governmental organization dedicated to combating educational disparities, with a specific focus on enabling girls from underprivileged backgrounds to access secondary education. Additionally, I am a basketball player for the University team and my interests extend to the realms of African literature, history, and cooperative endeavors.