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Zoe Ko

View full CV in PDF form here.

Education

  • Johns Hopkins University
    Physics and Astronomy Ph.D. Student
    2024 – Present
  • University of California, Berkeley
    B.A. Astrophysics, B.A. Data Science
    2019 – 2023
    High Distinction in General Scholarship (magna cum laude equivalent)

Research Experience

  • Johns Hopkins University
    Research Assistant | Advisor: Néstor Espinoza | August 2024 – Present
    • Developed a Gaussian Process aided atmospheric retrieval framework to mitigate stellar contamination in transmission spectroscopy.
    • Applied retrieval framework to constrain the atmospheric properties of a gas giant orbiting an M dwarf to better understand giant planet formation around low mass stars.
    • Leading a first-author publication and a JWST Cycle 5 follow-up proposal based on current work.
  • California Institute of Technology LIGO Lab
    Research Intern | Advisor: Katerina Chatziioannou | June 2022 – January 2024
    • Developed and implemented a hierarchical Bayesian inference framework to analyze binary black hole spin distributions using LIGO gravitational wave data.
    • Generated mock binary black hole populations with different component spin parameters to quantify how much spin information is extractable from observed effective spins.
    • Presented findings at the American Physical Society Conference in April 2023 and co-authored a publication in Physical Review D.
  • University of California, Berkeley SETI Research Center
    Research Intern | Advisor: Howard Isaacson | June 2021 – January 2023
    • Developed and implemented a laser detection algorithm to search for potential technosignatures in optical stellar spectra.
    • Analyzed over 1000 spectra of nearby stars to set detection limits.
    • Presented work at the 2021 Assembly of the Order of the Octopus and AbSciCon 2022 and co-authored a publication in the Astronomical Journal.
  • Pennsylvania State University
    Research Assistant | Advisor: Ian Czekala | September 2019 – February 2023
    • Designed a data analysis pipeline to detect radial velocity variations by cross-correlating stellar spectra to calculate Doppler shifts.
    • Applied pipeline to search for radial velocity variations in 28 protoplanetary disk-hosting stars, identifying candidate spectroscopic binaries for follow-up study.
    • Authored a successful observing proposal for the Automated Planet Finder telescope in 2020 and led follow-up observations of a binary star candidate.

Awards and Fellowships

  • William H. Miller III Graduate Fellowship
    August 2024 – August 2025
    Awarded a 12-month fellowship from Johns Hopkins to support independent graduate research.
  • Fulbright Scholar
    September 2023 – July 2024
    Awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Scholarship.
    Designed and taught an English language curriculum for seventh and tenth grade students in a rural village in Northeast Thailand.
    Expanded mentorship and communication skills beyond STEM-focused environments.

Publications

  • Miller, S. J., Ko, Z., Callister, T., & Chatziioannou, K. 2024, "Gravitational waves carry information beyond effective spin parameters but it is hard to extract," Phys. Rev. D, 109, 104036
  • Zuckerman, A., Ko, Z., Isaacson, H., Croft, S., Price, D., Lebofsky, M., & Siemion, A. 2023, "The Breakthrough Listen Search for Intelligent Life: A Laser Search Pipeline for the Automated Planet Finder," AJ, 165, 114

Conference Talks and Posters

  • Z. Ko, N. Espinoza, A. Jordan. A Gaussian Process Framework for Exoplanet Atmospheric Retrievals, Exoclimes V, Montreal, QC, Canada, July 2025. (Poster)
  • Z. Ko, N. Espinoza, A. Jordan. A Gaussian Process Framework for Exoplanet Atmospheric Retrievals, Emerging Researchers in Exoplanet Science Symposium X, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, June 2025. (Oral Presentation)
  • Z. Ko, S. J. Miller, K. Chatziioannou. Analyzing the Effective and Component Spin Distributions of Binary Black Hole Mergers, American Physical Society April Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, April 2023. (Oral Presentation)
  • Z. Ko, H. Isaacson, A. Zuckerman, S. Croft. Search for Laser Emission Lines with the Automated Planet Finder Telescope, American Astronomical Society Meeting, Seattle, WA, January 2023. (Poster)
  • Z. Ko, H. Isaacson, A. Zuckerman. Search for Laser Emission Lines with the Automated Planet Finder Telescope, AbSciCon, Atlanta, GA, May 2022. (Poster)
  • Z. Ko, H. Isaacson, A. Zuckerman, S. Croft. Search for Laser Emission Lines with the APF, Order of the Octopus, Virtual, August 2021. (Poster)

Skills

  • Programming: Python (NumPy, SciPy, pandas, matplotlib, Astropy, etc.), Java, R, SQL, LaTeX, CSS, HTML, Unix shell
  • Statistical Modeling: Bayesian inference frameworks (PyMC, emcee, dynesty), Gaussian Processes (george, celerite)
  • Languages: Native fluency in English and Mandarin; strong proficiency in Spanish and Thai

Teaching and Outreach

  • Physics and Astronomy Peer Mentor at Johns Hopkins
    August 2025 – Present
    Advise undergraduate students on research opportunities, graduate school applications, and career pathways in physics and astronomy through weekly mentoring sessions.
  • Peer Tutor at the Berkeley Student Learning Center
    August 2022 – May 2023
    Provided tutoring services for introductory astrophysics courses, supporting students with homework, lecture material, and exam preparation.
  • Research Mentor at the Berkeley Undergraduate Lab
    August 2021 – May 2022
    Mentored a team of five undergraduates through a year-long independent research project.
    Designed and led Python bootcamps and research workshops.
  • Student Mentor and Outreach Director of Berkeley Engineers and Mentors
    January 2020 – May 2023
    Led weekly science labs at public elementary and middle schools in Oakland and coordinated outreach events.
    Trained and supervised teams of undergraduate mentors, facilitating their development as effective STEM educators.