MIT Kavli Institute Directory

Slawek Gras

Postdoctoral Associate Postdoctoral Scholar

I was graduated in Poland at Adam Mickiewicz University where I did my Bachelor degree in Physics. I also obtained a Master degree in Astronomy from Porto University in Portugal. My master project was related to observational cosmology. For the master degree I worked on gravitational lensing at European Southern Observatory. After the defense of my Master degree, I decided to go deeper into experimental gravity and I joined the Gravitational Wave Group at University of Western Australia where I did my PhD. During my postgraduate studies I was involved in simulation of opto-acoustic interaction in advanced gravitational wave detectors. Such interactions can lead to undesired effect called parametric instabilities and cause a malfunction of the future detectors.

Research interests:

As a Postgraduate Associate at MIT I will be involved in modelling and design of the devices to control parametric instabilities. Such devices will reduce acoustic mode Q-factors of the test masses at broad frequency range without degeneration of thermal noise performance of the detector.