Nicholas Galitzki

Nicholas Galitzki focuses on experimental cosmology, astrophysical instrumentation, data analysis, polarimetry, cosmic microwave background, interstellar medium, dust, cryogenics and balloon-borne telescopes. An experimental cosmologist with a focus on detecting primordial gravitational waves through observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). His research encompasses the design, implementation, and characterization of cryogenic cameras for millimeter and submillimeter observations, as well as data analysis from on-sky observations. He is actively involved with the Simons Observatory, particularly with the small aperture telescopes aimed at observing the polarized CMB signal at large angular scales. To enhance the capabilities of these instruments and pursue ambitious scientific goals like cosmic birefringence, he is also part of the Hover-Cal project, which employs drones for calibration. Both projects are conducted at a site in Chile’s Atacama Desert, situated at an altitude of 5,200 meters.

Galitzki is also engaged with the CMB-S4 project, which has garnered substantial support from the cosmology, physics, and astronomy communities, enabling it to advance. His contributions to the project involve design and testing aspects related to the small aperture telescopes. CMB-S4 aims to significantly enhance the capabilities of ground-based CMB observations over the next decade by leveraging the collective efforts of the CMB research community.

In addition to his ground-based work, Galitzki leads efforts to develop future space-based technologies and to provide precise measurements of galactic dust that obscures CMB signals through the Balloon-borne Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope Observatory (BLAST-Obs). His previous work with the experiment has taken him to Antarctica twice for launches with NASA’s ballooning program, with plans for the next BLAST-Obs flight targeting New Zealand in 2026.