Professor Katherine Dooley

: Available for postgraduate supervision

Teams and roles for Katherine Dooley

Gravity Exploration Institute
School of Physics and Astronomy

I work in the field of gravitational-wave physics and the use of precision measurement techniques to probe fundamental questions ranging from cosmology to the nature of spacetime and of dark matter. I grew up in upstate NY (USA) and worked in many different institutions in both the US and Germany during my academic career before arriving in Cardiff in 2018, where I co-founded the Gravity Exploration Institute's experimental division, setting up two brand new lab spaces to bring gravitational wave detector expertise to Cardiff.

Gravitational waves are produced by explosive events in the distant universe like the collisions of black holes and neutron stars, and create minuscule ripples in spacetime. Detecting them requires the design and construction of large laser interferometers that push the limits of precision measurement techniques.

A network of gravitational-wave detectors, each up to 4 km long, spans the globe from the U.S. to Italy, Japan, and Germany. The first detection in 2015 of two black holes that collided while traveling at half the speed of light(!) made headlines around the world and earned the founders of LIGO (the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory) the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics. I was part of the team of on-site scientists who upgraded and commissioned the LIGO and GEO600 detectors (2007-2014) and am desiging new technology to make them even better.

Date
Type

2006

Harry, G. M. et al., 2006. Titania-doped tantala/silica coatings for gravitational-wave detection. Classical and Quantum Gravity 24 (2), pp.404-415. (10.1088/0264-9381/24/2/008)
Lombardi, Jr., J. C. et al., 2006. Stellar Collisions and Ultracompact X-Ray Binary Formation. Astrophysical Journal 640 (1), pp.441-458. (10.1086/499938)

2005

Ivanova, N. et al., 2005. Formation of Ultracompact X-Ray Binaries in Dense Star Clusters. Astrophysical Journal 621 (2) L109. (10.1086/429220)
Palmer, M. et al., 2005. Design and Operation of a Radiative Bhabha Luminosity Monitor for CESR-C. Presented at: Particle Accelerator Conference 2005 Knoxville, TN, USA 16-20 May 2005. Proceedings of the Particle Accelerator Conference, 2005. Proceedings of the Particle Accelerator Conference IEEE. , pp.3564-3566. (10.1109/PAC.2005.1591540)

Ground-based gravitational-wave detectors are multi-kilometer-long laser interferometers that push the limits of precision measurement. I'm interested in the development of new instrumentation and experimental techniques to improve the interferometers’ sensitivity to gravitational waves and in applying these methods to the quest for shedding light on other fundamental physics questions.

Some of my key contributions include the demonstration of the first-ever reduction of quantum noise in a gravitational-wave detector through the application of squeezed vacuum states of light (Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 2013), and more recently, the development and implementation of new control techniques which have increased the duty cycle of the Advanced LIGO detectors (Class. Quant. Grav. 24, 2020). I maintain close ties to the LIGO Livingston Observatory through having a postdoc based at the site and regularly sending PhD students for several month research stays.

Over the past several years my research has expanded to include cutting-edge investigations into fundamental physics problems by harnessing the precision measurement techniques, such as squeezed light, that have been perfected for gravitational wave detectors. In Cardiff, we are building the world's most sensitive table-top laser interferometers, essentially miniature versions of the LIGO detectors. With two such interferometers nested side-by-side, we can search for quantization of spacetime, dark matter, and ultra-high-frequency GWs (Class. Quant. Grav. 38, 2020), research carried out as part of the UK Quantum Interferometry consortium. I am also applying my intimate understanding of the complexities of GW detectors, particularly related to the interaction of the mirror angular control and seismic isolation subsystems, to guide the design of future GW detectors (Phys. Rev. Lett. 120, 2018).

Before arriving at Cardiff University in 2018, I taught the introductory physics sequence covering mechanics, electricity and magnetism, and waves for honors students at the U. of Mississippi (USA), as well as a course to bring new physics students up to speed with the mathematical skills necessary for success in physics.

One of my teaching projects at Cardiff has been the creation of a new MSc/year 4 module (PXT901) about precision measurement techniques and the design of laser interferometers for gravitational-wave detectors. I am also teaching year 3 Statistical Mechanics (PX3249).

Professional appointments

2022–present: Personal Chair, Cardiff University
2018–2022: Reader, Cardiff University and Research Assistant Professor, University of Mississippi
2015–2017: Assistant Professor, University of Mississippi (USA)
2014–2015: Postdoctoral researcher, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (USA)
2011–2014: Postdoctoral researcher, Albert-Einstein-Institute (Max-Plank-Institut für Gravitationsphysik), Hannover, Germany

Education

PhD in Physics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL U.S.A., 2011
A.B. in Physics, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY U.S.A., 2006

Honors and Awards

Philip Leverhulme Prize, 2018
National Academy of Sciences Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellow, 2017
Gruber Cosmology Prize "for the first detection of gravitational waves," 2016
Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, "recognizing scientists and engineers contributing to the momentous detection of gravitational waves," 2016
National Science Foundation (NSF) award to fund the project entitled, "A Tilt-Free Seismometer for Advanced Gravitational-wave Detectors," 2016-2021
American Physical Society (APS) award to start a Women in Physics group at the U. of Mississippi, 2015
Tom Scott Award, U. of Florida "awarded annually to a senior graduate student in experimental physics who has shown distinction in research," 2010
LIGO Student Fellowship, California Institute of Technology, 2008-2009
AAPT (American Association of Physics Teachers) Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, 2007

Professional Memberships and Service

LIGO Lab Oversight Committee, technical advisor (2024-present)
FNRS, International Scientific Commission member (2024-present)
Co-chair of the ET "Low-frequency control noise" working group (2021-2023)
Co-chair of the LIGO Academic Advisory Committee (2018-2020)
LIGO Scientific Collaboration Council (2015-2019)
Einstein Telescope Collaboration (2018-present)
LIGO Scientific Collaboration (2007-present)
American Physical Society
Phi Beta Kappa Society, America's oldest and most prestigious academic honor society
Sigma Xi, an international honour society of science and engineering

I've supervised the following students:

PhD students

Kushal Jain (2025-present)
Abhinav Patra (2021-present): High laser power, co-located laser interferometry for fundamental physics
William Griffiths (2019-2023): Output mode cleaner for observational quantum gravity

Master's students

Camillo Cocchieri, University of Pisa and University of Mississippi (2015-2018): experimental design of a suspension for a tilt-free seismometer
Mohammad Afrough, University of Mississippi. Thesis title: "A Thermal Enclosure Prototype for a Suspended Inertial Sensor" (Dec. 2017)

Undergraduate students

Justin Ryan, U. of Mississippi (2017): transfer function measurements of inertial sensors
Zachary Sabata, U. of Nebraska (2017): measurement of polarizing beam splitter losses
Veronica Leccese, U. of Pisa (2016): current driver design and construction of a three-mirror mode cleaning cavity
Bryce Wedig, Kenyon College (2016): measurement of polarizing beam splitter losses
Jared Wofford, U. of Mississippi (2015-2016): front-end electronics for a quadrant photo-diode
Alessandra Marrocchesi, U. of Pisa (2015): model, design and construction of an inverted pendulum
Megan Kelley, UCSB (2015): design and construction of an actively controlled thermal enclosure
Stephanie Moon, Caltech (2014-2015): design and modal analysis of a suspension cage

High School students

Sayeed Hossain, Spackenkill HS, USA (2024-present): tabletop Michelson interferometer
Sam Kelson, Spackenkill HS, USA (2019-2021): effect of optical losses in a Michelson interferometer
Anneke Buskes, Oxford HS, USA (2017): design and construction of analog readout for a quadrant photodiode
Niamke Buchanan, Oxford HS, USA (2016): Mathematica-based model of a pendulum

Current supervision

Abhinav Patra

Kushal Jain

Ruaraidh Dumbreck

Contact Details

[email protected]
+44 29206 88914
Queen's Buildings - North Building, Room N/1.12, 5 The Parade, Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 3AA
Queen's Buildings - North Building, Room N/-1.17 and N/-1.14, 5 The Parade, Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 3AA

Research themes

Specialisms

gravitational waves

New light shed on formation and evolution of black hole binary mergers by pair measured just one month apart

Professor Katherine Dooley

Teams and roles for Katherine Dooley

Gravity Exploration Institute

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