Faculty Profile for Dr. Andrea Banzatti

profile photo for Dr. Andrea Banzatti
Dr. Andrea Banzatti
Assistant Professor — Physics
RFM 3240
phone: (512) 245-2131
Scholarly/Creative Work
Grants
Service

Biography Section

Biography and Education

 • 2013: PhD in Science, ETH Zurich, Switzerland [Thesis: Water vapor in protoplanetary disks: a probe of chemistry and physics of planet formation, advisor: Prof. Michael R. Meyer]
• 2009: Master in Physics summa cum laude, University of Milan, Italy [Thesis: Evolution of protoplanetary disks: first steps toward planet formation, advisors: Dr. Leonardo Testi, Prof. Marco Bersanelli]
• 2006: Bachelor in Physics, University of Milan, Italy [Thesis: The Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect, advisor: Prof. Giuseppe Bertin]

Research Interests

 Observations of protoplanetary disks and exoplanet formation across the wavelength spectrum (UV, optical, near- and mid-infrared, and radio), and across disk evolutionary stages (primordial, transition, and debris disks). Specific focus on the 0.01-10 au orbital disk region through high-resolution gas spectroscopy. Monitoring of biologicallyrelevant gas chemistry in planet-forming regions (water and organic molecules) as affected by luminosity outbursts in young stars. Observations of mm-cm dust emission, to study pebble formation in disks and the water snow line at the time of planetary assembly. Development of tools for spectroscopy reduction and analysis; multi-component spectral fitting techniques for medium to high resolving powers (from R~700 of Spitzer-IRS, to R~100,000 of VLT-CRIRES).

Selected Scholarly/Creative Work

  • Banzatti, A., Pontoppidan, K. M., Chávez, J. P., Salyk, C., Diehl, L. M., Bruderer, S., … Wheeler, C. (2023). The Kinematics and Excitation of Infrared Water Vapor Emission from Planet-forming Disks: Results from Spectrally Resolved Surveys and Guidelines for JWST Spectra. The Astronomical Journal, 165(2), 72. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/aca80b
  • Banzatti, A., Pascucci, I., Bosman, A. D., Pinilla, P., Salyk, C., Herczeg, G. J., … others. (2020). Hints for icy pebble migration feeding an oxygen-rich chemistry in the inner planet-forming region of disks. The Astrophysical Journal, 903(2), 124.
  • Banzatti, A., Pascucci, I., Edwards, S., Fang, M., Gorti, U., & Flock, M. (2019). Kinematic Links and the Coevolution of MHD Winds, Jets, and Inner Disks from a High-resolution Optical [OI] Survey. The Astrophysical Journal, 870(2), 76.
  • Banzatti, A., Pontoppidan, K., Salyk, C., Herczeg, G., van Dishoeck, E., & Blake, G. (2017). The depletion of water during dispersal of planet-forming disk regions, 824(152).
  • Banzatti, A., & Pontoppidan, K. M. (2015). An empirical sequence of disk gap opening revealed by Rovibrational CO, 809(167).

Selected Grants

  • Banzatti, Andrea (Principal), Kalyaan, Anusha (Supporting). JWST-MIRI GO program #1640 in Cycle 1, NASA, Federal, $285811. (Submitted: December 3, 2020, Funded: June 2022 - May 2025). Grant.
  • Banzatti, Andrea (Principal). JWST-MIRI GO program #2025 in Cycle 1, NASA, Federal, $27625. (Submitted: December 3, 2020, Funded: June 2022 - May 2025). Grant.
  • Banzatti, Andrea (Principal). JWST-MIRI GO program #1584 in Cycle 1, NASA, Federal, $18091. (Submitted: December 3, 2020, Funded: June 2022 - May 2025). Grant.
  • Banzatti, Andrea. HST-COS program in Cycle 24, NASA, Federal, $162000. (Funded: 2017 - 2020). Grant.
  • Banzatti, Andrea. Building an online laboratory for planet formation, Texas State University, $16000. (Funded: January 1, 2023 - June 1, 2024). Grant.

Selected Service Activities

Reviewer / Referee
Nature Astronomy
January 2023-Present
Chair
Review panel on Planets and Planet Formation - NASA James Webb Space Telescope Cycle 2 observations
March 1, 2023-April 28, 2023
Coordinator / Organizer
First Science Results from the James Webb Science Telescope
December 12, 2022-December 14, 2022
Reviewer / Referee
NOAO Time Allocation Committee
2016-2018
Reviewer / Referee
NASA Keck Time Allocation Committee
2016-2017