SPT-Pol AGN Monitoring
Millimeter wavelength monitoring of Active Galactic Nuclei using South Pole Telescope data. Developing observational pipelines for AGN variability studies in the mm band.
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About Me
Passionate about understanding the dynamic universe through cutting-edge research
I'm John Hood, a Postdoctoral Preceptor at The NSF-Simons SkAI Institute for Astronomy and AI at University of Chicago. My research focuses on understanding the dynamic universe, with a particular interest in time-domain astronomy and the physics driving transient astrophysical phenomena using Agentic AI.
I combine observational data with statistical and machine learning techniques to uncover patterns in variable and flaring sources. Passionate about both discovery and data, I aim to develop tools that push the boundaries of how we observe and interpret the cosmos.
Research Interests
Current Position
Postdoctoral Preceptor
SkAI and University of Chicago
2026 - Present
hood.astro@gmail.com
Ryerson Laboratories, 1100 E 58th St, suite 256, Chicago, IL 60637
Research
Exploring the dynamic universe through cutting-edge observational techniques
MKID Detector Development
Low loss microstrip materials with MKIDs for microwave applications. Characterizing dielectric loss of various microstrip materials and substrates.
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Multi-wavelength Blazar Analysis
Studying multi-wavelength observations of Fermi bright blazars to search for optical and gamma-ray orphan flares using SMARTS and Fermi data.
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Welcome to my projects. Whether you are looking to analyze compiled observational data, play through the path from undergrad to PI, or review my open-source code, you can explore my recent work below.
STRAWHAT Catalog
Public data catalog of SPTpol AGN light curves — multi-frequency millimeter-wavelength monitoring data released for the broader astronomy community.
sci-runner
Browser based runner for learning about academic career path and research.
GitHub
Repositories for research code, tools, and side projects.
Publications
A full, up-to-date list of my publications is on NASA ADS.
Recent Notes
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Welcome to my Notes
What this section is for and how posts are organized.
Outreach & Media
Sharing astronomy and research through interviews, podcasts, and public engagement
I'm passionate about making astronomy accessible to everyone. Through interviews, podcasts, and public talks, I share the excitement of astronomical research and the importance of scientific discovery with diverse audiences.
Podcasts & Interviews
Articles & Features
Academic Presentations
Creative Projects
Get In Touch
Let's discuss research opportunities, collaborations, or just chat about astronomy
Email: hood.astro@gmail.com
Office: ERC 533, University of Chicago
Institution: University of Chicago