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
Awards
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, advisors: Prof. Michael R. Meyer, Dr. Klaus Pontoppidan]
• 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 (from full disks to those with inner dust cavities). Specific focus on the 0.01-10 au orbital disk region through high-resolution gas spectroscopy. The chemistry, structure, and evolution of planet-forming regions, especially in its molecular content. Monitoring of biologically relevant 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 for medium to high resolving powers (from R~700 of Spitzer-IRS, to R~3000 of JWST-MIRI, to R~90,000 of VLT-CRIRES and IRTF-ISHELL), including multi-component spectral fitting techniques and interactive visualization tools (iSLAT on GitHub). Design and development of the online spectral database at www.SpExoDisks.com

Selected Scholarly/Creative Work

  • Banzatti, A., Salyk, C., Pontoppidan, K. M., Carr, J. S., Zhang, K., Arulanantham, N., … Collaboration, T. J. (2025). Water in Protoplanetary Disks with JWST-MIRI: Spectral Excitation Atlas and Radial Distribution from Temperature Diagnostic Diagrams and Doppler Mapping. The Astronomical Journal, 169(3), 165. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ada962
  • Banzatti, A., Pontoppidan, K. M., Carr, J. S., Jellison, E., Pascucci, I., Najita, J. R., … Bruderer, S. (2023). JWST Reveals Excess Cool Water near the Snow Line in Compact Disks, Consistent with Pebble Drift. The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 957(2), L22. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/acf5ec
  • Banzatti, A., Abernathy, K. M., Brittain, S., Bosman, A. D., Pontoppidan, K. M., Boogert, A., … Rayner, J. T. (2022). Scanning Disk Rings and Winds in CO at 0.01–10 au: A High-resolution M-band Spectroscopy Survey with IRTF-iSHELL. The Astronomical Journal, 163(4), 174. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ac52f0
  • 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.

Selected Awards

  • Award / Honor Recipient: 2024 Presidential Distinction for Excellence in Scholarly Activity, Texas State University - College of Science and Engineering. May 2024
  • Award / Honor Recipient: 2023 College Achievement for Excellence in Teaching, Texas State University - College of Science and Engineering. 2023

Selected Grants

  • Banzatti, Andrea. JWST-MIRI GO program #4727 in Cycle 3, NASA, Federal, $204587. (Submitted: 2024, Funded: September 2024 - August 31, 2027). Grant.
  • 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.

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