Isaac McMahon
University of Zurich, University of Michigan, Carnegie Mellon University
Research areas: Physics and Astronomy · Astronomy and Astrophysics · Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research · Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations · Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae
0000-0002-4529-1505
About
I am an astrophysicist specializing in multi-messenger cosmology, gravitational wave physics, and large-scale data analysis. My research combines gravitational wave signals from the LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA (LVK) detector network with massive galaxy surveys to measure fundamental properties of the universe. I have expertise in statistical modeling, Bayesian inference, machine learning, GPUs, and image processing.
I lead real-time telescope observing campaigns to search for fast-evolving explosions that come from gravitational wave sources. I've also contributed significantly to main cosmology results from the LVK. I'm passionate about teaching and educating future scientists, supervising the thesis projects of bachelor's and master's students.
Employment
Employment history is unavailable.
Education
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University of Zurich PhD Candidate2024 - Present
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University of Michigan Master of Science2021 - 2023
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Carnegie Mellon University Bachelor of Science2017 - 2021
Projects & Funding
Projects & funding information is unavailable.
Publications (40)
- Cosmological and High-Energy Physics Implications from Gravitational-Wave Background Searches in LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA’s O1–O4a Runs Save
- Direct Multimodel Dark Matter Search with Gravitational-Wave Interferometers Using Data from the First Part of the Fourth LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Observing Run Save
- Upper limits on the isotropic gravitational-wave background from the first part of LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA’s fourth observing run Save
- Directed searches for gravitational waves from ultralight vector boson clouds around merger remnant and galactic black holes during the first part of the fourth LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA observing run Save
- Search for planetary-mass ultracompact binaries using data from the first part of the LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA fourth observing run Save
- Directional search for persistent gravitational waves: Results from the first part of LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA’s fourth observing run Save
- Constraints on Gravitational Waves from the 2024 Vela Pulsar Glitch Save
- Measurement of the Hubble constant using the Dark Energy Survey Year 6 Gold galaxy catalogue and the fourth Gravitational-Wave Transient Catalogue Save
- GW230814: Investigation of a Loud Gravitational-wave Signal Observed with a Single Detector Save
- GWTC-4.0: Updating the Gravitational-Wave Transient Catalog with Observations from the First Part of the Fourth LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Observing Run Save
- Open Data from LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA through the First Part of the Fourth Observing Run Save
- Searches for Continuous Gravitational Waves from Supernova Remnants in the First Part of the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Fourth Observing Run Save
- All-sky search for long-duration gravitational-wave transients in the first part of the fourth LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA observing run Save
- A broker-integrated algorithm for electromagnetic counterpart searches to gravitational-wave events in O4a and O4b runs Save
- Black Hole Spectroscopy and Tests of General Relativity with GW250114 Save
- GWTC-4.0: Constraints on the Cosmic Expansion Rate and Modified Gravitational-wave Propagation Save
- All-sky search for short gravitational-wave bursts in the first part of the fourth LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA observing run Save
- GW241011 and GW241110: Exploring Binary Formation and Fundamental Physics with Asymmetric, High-spin Black Hole Coalescences Save
- GW231123: A Binary Black Hole Merger with Total Mass 190–265 M$_{⊙}$ Save
- GW250114: Testing Hawking’s Area Law and the Kerr Nature of Black Holes Save