We are a consortium of professors, postdoctoral scholars, PhD and master’s students at universities all across Belgium that meet frequently to work on projects and exchange ideas regarding the detection of gravitational waves in the Virgo Scientific Collaboration.

Grégory Baltus
PhD student, Université de Liège

Research topics: Machine learning and inspiraling neutron stars

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I have done my Bachelor and Master at the University of Liège, where I do now a PhD since October 2018. As I’m working on gravitational waves data science, I joined the Virgo collaboration when I started my thesis. I develop new techniques of data analysis to detect gravitational waves.
Email me: greg.baltus@gmail.com

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Vincent Boudart
PhD student, Université de Liège

Research topics:

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Jean-René Cudell
Professor, Université de Liège

Research topics: Applications of machine learning to GW analysis, dark matter detection via GWs, EInstein telescope

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homepage
Email me: jr.cudell@uliege.be

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Giacomo Bruno
Professor, Université catholique de Louvain

Research topics:

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Email me: Giacomo.Bruno@uclouvain.be

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Federico De Lillo
PhD student, Université catholique de Louvain

Research topics:

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Email me: federico.delillo@uclouvain.be

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Antoine Depasse
PhD student, Université catholique de Louvain

Research topics: Continuous waves, boson clouds, primordial black holes, dark matter

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Email me: antoine.depasse@uclouvain.be

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Sébastien Clesse
Professor, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)

Research topics: Primordial black holes

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My main research in Gravitational-Wave astronomy concerns primordial black holes as a dark matter candidate: their theoretical formation models, merging rates, and the search of their signatures in GW observations. My publication list can be found here. My personal webpage.

Email me: sebastien.clesse@uclouvain.be

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Andrew Miller
Postdoc, Université catholique de Louvain

Research topics: Continuous waves, boson clouds, primordial black holes, dark matter

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I work in gravitational-wave data analysis to detect continuous waves from isolated neutron stars, depleting boson clouds around black holes and inspiraling primordial black holes. I am also adapting methods to search for different types of dark matter that interact directly with gravitational-wave interferometers, whose signatures are remarkably similar to those from continuous waves. Apart from physics, I enjoy travelling, hiking, playing volleyball, and drinking wine and craft beers.

Email me: andrew.miller@uclouvain.be

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Kamiel Janssens
PhD student, Universiteit Antwerpen

Research topics: Stochastic background, noise characterization

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During my bachelors and masters I mainly focused on particle physics, but for my PhD I switched to gravitational waves. I contribute to the LIGO-Virgo efforts to search for a stochastic gravitational wave background. I work on Virgo data-quality and have a high interest in magnetic noise which can contaminate the stochastic analysis. Therefore I am not only active in data-analysis but also go regularly to Virgo to help with noise hunting. In my free time I like to do indoor rock climbing, handball, travelling and enjoying nature.

Email me: kamiel.janssens@uantwerpen.be

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Maxime Fays
Postdoc, Université de Liège

Research topics:

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Archisman Ghosh
Professor,

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Jean-Pierre Locquet
Professor,

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Alexander Sevrin
Professor, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Research topics: Stochastic background, Einstein Telescope

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Sevrin obtained his MSc in physics in 1985 at the University of Ghent followed by a PhD in 1988 from the University of Leuven. He did postdoctoral work at Stony Brook, Berkeley and CERN. In 1994 he joined the faculty of the physics department of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Most of his research was focused on theoretical high energy physics, in particular string theory and related topics. Since 2018 he is actively involved in the planning of the Einstein Telescope, the first 3rd generation gravitational wave observatory, and its R&D facility ET pathfinder. Recently he joined the Virgo collaboration where the modeling of and the experimental search for the stochastic background of gravitational waves captivates his interest.

Email me: Alexandre.Sevrin@vub.be

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Alberto Mariotti
Professor, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Research topics: Stochastic background

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I obtained my PhD in Physics at the University of Milano Bicocca, followed by postdoc positions in Paris, Brussels (VUB) and Durham University (UK).
I am Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel since 2016. I joined the LIGO-Virgo collaboration in 2020 where I contribute to the stochastic group activities.
My past research has been mainly focused on high energy physics, from theory to phenomenology and particle physics. Recently, I broaden my research activity towards modelling for the stochastic gravitational wave background of cosmological origin, exploring in particular possible gravitational wave signatures of Beyond the Standard Model physics.

Email me: Alberto.Mariotti@vub.be

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Kevin Turbang
PhD student, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Research topics: Stochastic background

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I graduated from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), where I obtained my master’s degree in physics. Recently, I started a joint PhD (UAntwerpen and VUB) and joined the LIGO-Virgo collaboration. My research focuses on the stochastic background, a gravitational wave signal from unresolved sources that permeates the Universe. Both data-analysis and model-building are part of my research. For the former, we investigate new methods to detect such a background, whereas for the latter, we develop models that could have generated such a background during the early stages of the Universe.

Email me: kevin.turbang@vub.be

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Joris van Heijningen
Research scientist, Université catholique de Louvain

Research topics: Mode matching, cryogenic inertial sensing, E-TEST

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I have worked at CERN, SLAC and the Virgo and KAGRA gravitational wave observatories. I now work on cryogenic inertial sensing and vibration isolation for the E-TEST project. For Advanced Virgo and future GW detectors, I lead a mode matching and cavity control project using phase cameras and other sensing solutions. In my time off, I like to make music: I have been playing saxophone since my hands were big enough for the instrument, and I sing rock ‘n’ roll classics from the ’60s/’70s in a band. Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Email me: joris.vanheijningen@uclouvain.be

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Nick van Remortel
Professor, Universiteit Antwerpen

Research topics: ET Pathfinder, stochastic gravitational wave backgrounds

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I obtained my Ph.D. in physics at the University of Antwerpen in 2003, on the analysis of the DELPHI experiment at CERN’s Large Electron Positron accelerator, where I was based for more than four years. In subsequent years I worked at many large particle physics experiments all over the world: H1 at HERA of the DESY laboratory in Hamburg, CDF at the TEVATRON at FERMILAB in Chicago, and at the CMS experiment of the LHC at CERN, Geneva. In 2014 I was strongly involved in the creation of SoLid, a short baseline neutrino experiment near the BR2 reactor of SCK-CEN at Mol, Belgium. In 2018 I got interested in gravitational wave science, and together with good friends and colleagues from the Belgian physics community we got involved in the LIGO-VIRGO collaboration, in the Einstein Telescope project, and in several of ET’s R&D and preparatory initiatives such as ETpathfinder, and in E-TEST. At the level of gravitational wave instrumentation my group is active in electronics, data-acquisition and controls. In LIGO-Virgo my group is active in the search for the stochastic gravitational wave background. I am also co-convener of the stochastic search group for Virgo.
I currently represent Belgium in the ET Steering committee and play an active role in promoting the region of Limburg – Masstricht – Aachen as candidate host site for the Einstein Telescope to public and private stakeholders. I am also representing our country in the Einstein Telescope steering committee.
I live with my wife and two teenage children in Wilrijk, where we can often be seen around field hockey courts, supporting our children. In my spare time I love to read, camp, cook, make oil paintings, and fly around in small sports aircrafts. I’m also a big fan of Belgian comics, and I like to enjoy a good cigar and a good whiskey.

Email me: nick.vanremortel@uantwerpen.be

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Andres Tanasijczuk
Title,

Research topics:

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Eleni Bagui
Master student, Université Libre de Bruxelles

Research topics: Stochastic background, primordial black holes

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Email me: eleni.bagui@ulb.be

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Hans Van Haevermaet
Assistent Professor, Universiteit Antwerpen

Research topics: ET Pathfinder, LVDT coils, interferometer simulations

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As experimental physicist I have 11 years of experience in data analysis on particle collisions recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC accelerator. My main objective was to understand the structure and dynamics of the proton in a precise way, by conducting novel measurements. To accomplish this I also contributed to the commissioning and operation of the very forward CASTOR calorimeter at CMS, and worked on its simulation, calibration and alignment. In August 2020 I started working on gravitational wave instrumentation. In particular I will contribute to the development of ET Pathfinder, and work on the construction and development of LVDT coils for seismic attenuation systems. In addition I’m interested in interferometer and noise budget simulation studies. In my spare time I love to play (and try to compose) music and go cycling when the weather is not too bad. 

Email me: hans.vanhaevermaet@uantwerpen.be

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