I'm John Hood, an astronomer and current postdoctoral researcher at the University of Chicago. My work focuses on understanding the dynamic universe, with a particular interest in time-domain astronomy and the physics driving transient astrophysical phenomena. 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. I am currently a Heising-Simons Fellow at the University of Chicago where I helped develop an observational pipeline and catalog that uses millimeter wavelength data from the South Pole Telescope and ACT to study the variability of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN).

My research interests include:

  • Millimeter Transients (AGN)
  • MKID and TES detector development
  • Machine Learning and AI
  • Astronomical Instrumentation
  • Experimental Cosmology

My academic references:

Additional References

  • Prof. Andreas Berlind, Vanderbilt University
  • Prof. John Carlstrom, University of Chicago