Curriculum Vitae

Prof. Dr Andrej Prša

(pronounced AWN-dray PUR-shuh)

Villanova University
Department of Astrophysics and Planetary Science
Mendel Science Center, M458c
800 Lancaster Ave
Villanova PA 19085
USA

Contact: aprsa@villanova.edu
Office: +1-610-519-4822, Fax: +1-610-519-6132

Education

Year	Institution	Program	Title
2006-08	Villanova University, USA	Astrophysics and Planetary Science	Postdoctoral fellow
2005	University of Ljubljana, Slovenia	Astrophysics and Particle Physics	Doctorate (PhD)
2001	University of Ljubljana, Slovenia	Astronomy and Astrophysics	Bachelor of Science (BSc)

Employment history

Year	Institution	Department	Position
2020-	Villanova University, USA	Astrophysics and Planetary Science	Professor
2024-	University of Ljubljana, Slovenia	Physics	Visiting Professor
2015-20	Villanova University, USA	Astrophysics and Planetary Science	Associate professor
2012-15	Villanova University, USA	Astrophysics and Planetary Science	Assistant professor
2009-12	Villanova University, USA	Astrophysics and Planetary Science	Research assistant professor
2008-09	Villanova University, USA	Astrophysics and Planetary Science	Research associate
2006-	University of Ljubljana, Slovenia	Physics and Astronomy	Adjunct research associate
2001-06	University of Ljubljana, Slovenia	Physics and Astronomy	Teaching assistant

Special credentials and skills

Skill	Level
Linux operating system	proficient
Programming in C/C++, python, and R	proficient
Parallel programing using MPI and openMP	proficient
High Performance Computing Cluster deployment and maintenance	proficient
Database management in sqlite/mysql/postgresql	proficient
Dynamical web portal management using Django and LAMP	proficient
Complex, multi-dimensional, multi-faceted data analysis	proficient
Data analysis techniques in econometrics	proficient

Appointments and memberships

Year	Organization	Appointment
2023-	Large Survey of Space and Time, Eclipsing and Ellipsoidal Binary Working Group	Chair
2022-24-	Villanova Rank and Tenure Committee	Member
2021-24	International Astronomical Union, Division G: Stars and Stellar Systems	President
2018-21	International Astronomical Union, Division G: Stars and Stellar Systems	Vice-President
2017-	Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, Eclipsing Binary Working Group	Chair
2015-18	International Astronomical Union, Commission on Binary and Multiple Stars	President
2015-	ESA Gaia Mission, Coordination Unit 7	Member
2014-21	Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, Interacting Binaries Working Group	Co-chair
2014-15	Villanova University, Task Force on Supercomputing	Member
2010-15	NASA, Kepler mission, Eclipsing Binary Working Group	Chair
2009-	International Astronomical Union	Full member
2009-	Board of Editors of the International Bulletin on Variable Stars	Editor
2009	Conference "Binaries: Key to Comprehension of the Universe", Brno, CZ	SOC Chair
2006-	International Astronomical Union	Full member
2006-	American Astronomical Society	Full member
2002-	ESA Gaia Mission, Coordination Unit 6	Associate member

Awards and Honors

Year	Institution	Award
2018	Villanova University	Veritas Award for Outstanding Scholarship
2013	Jeremiah Horrocks Institute	Distinguished Visitor Award
2005	University of Ljubljana	PhD promotion by the Prime Minister of Slovenia
2001	University of Ljubljana	Prešeren prize for Outstanding Bachelor's Thesis

Grants and Fellowships

Year	Agency	Program Title	Role	Award
2024	VITAL/VPTL	Mitigating student hardship by reimagining Astronomy labs	PI	$10,000
2023	NASA ADAP	Solving 150,000+ Eclipsing Binary Light Curves With An AI-Powered Model	PI	$489,110
2023	NSF	Peanuts in Space: solving the thermodynamical conundrum in contact binary stars	PI	$597,089
2023	GRASP	Overcoming computational bottlenecks with artificial intelligence	PI	$25,000
2022	Rubin/LSST	Finding M&Ms with Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time	PI	$20,000
2021-22	NASA TESS	Seeing Double: An Extensive Study Of TESS Eclipsing Binaries	PI	$250,000
2021	VU-USG	Thermodynamical Processes in Contact Binary Stars	PI	$10,000
2020-21	NASA TESS	Eclipsing binary stars: indispensable astrophysical labs	PI	$50,000
2019-21	NSF AAG	A Study of Stellar Pulsations in Eclipsing Binary Stars	PI	$386,444
2018-19	NASA K2GO	On the shoulders of giants: calibrating asteroseismic scaling relations with eclipsing binary stars	PI	$30,000
2018	VU-USG	Rigorous testing of asteroseismic scaling relations using eclipsing binary stars	PI	$10,000
2018-19	NASA ADAP	Sub-1% accuracy in fundamental stellar parameters from triply eclipsing systems	PI	$449,331
2016-17	NSF AAG	1% accuracy in fundamental stellar parameters? Not without an extensive redesign of eclipsing binary models	PI	$300,000
2016-17	NSF AAG	Collaborative Research: A uniform sample of Kepler eclipsing binaries as benchmark stars to constrain stellar models and evolution at the bottom of the main sequence	PI	$170,000
2015-16	NASA GO	Eclipsing Binary Stars: Indispensable Astrophysical Laboratories for Studying Stellar Populations	PI	$30,000
2015	VU-SRF	SRF: Incorporating Multiple Star Physics into the Eclipsing Binary Modeling Suite	PI	$10,000
2014	Dunham	Unprecedented accuracy in stellar masses and radii from triple and multiple stars observed by the Kepler satellite	PI	$4,000
2012-14	NASA ADAP	Towards a Fundamental Understanding of Short Period Eclipsing Binary Systems using Kepler Data	PI	$292,122
2011-13	NASA PSP	Thorough Understanding of Foreground and Background Eclipsing Binary Star Populations Observed by Kepler	PI	$105,278
2010-11	SETI	Modeling and Analysis of Eclipsing Binary Stars Observed by Kepler	PI	$143,400
2010	VITAL	Mastering Physics for Engineers	PI	$2,000
2010	NASA GO	Ultra-High Precision Photometry of Overcontact Binary Stars: Fundamental Properties and Evolution	PI	$65,562
2009	HST	Eclipsing Binaries in the Local Group: III – Unprecedented Accuracy in Distance Determination to M33 and Calibration of the Cosmic Distance Scale	Co-I	$60,803
2008-10	NASA	Models for Binary Star/Transit Light Curves	PI	$150,000
2008	HST	The Key to Understanding RR Lyr Stars: WFPC2 Observations of a Unique LMC EB with a RR Lyr Component	Co-I	$53,107
2006-08	NSF	Eclipsing Binaries and Variable Stars in the Local Group: Maximizing Return with an Intelligent Data Pipeline	postdoc	Fellowship
2001-05	ARRS	Young Researcher in Physics at University of Ljubljana	grad	Fellowship
1996-2001	ZRSSS	Zois Scholarship	undergrad	Fellowship

Observing Runs

Year	Facility	Observing Program Title	Role	Award
2014-15	NOAO/KPNO	Studying low-mass short-period binary companions to stars across the main sequence	Co-I	26 nights
2011-13	NOAO/KPNO	Towards Unprecedented Accuracy of Fundamental Parameters for Kepler Eclipsing Binary Stars	PI	30 nights
2011	NOAO/Gemini	High-Intermediate Resolution IR Spectroscopy of NSV 10993: A Confirmed Cepheid Member of an Eclipsing Binary System	Co-PI	8 nights
2010	NOAO/KPNO	Follow-up Spectroscopy of Prime W-UMa Type Binary Stars Observed by Kepler	PI	5 nights
2009	NOAO/KPNO	This is For the BiRDS: Binary Science with EXPERT/ET	Co-I	8 nights

Metrics (May 2025)

h-index	66	the largest number h such that h publications have at least h citations
m-index	2.6	h-index divided by the number of years since first publication
g-index	176	the number g such that g most cited publications have a total of g2 citations
i10-index	112	number of papers with at least 10 citations
i100-index	51	number of papers with at least 100 citations
publications	303	number of refereed and non-refereed papers published
citations	45,230	number of citations
publication impact	149	average number of citations per paper