Western Illinois University is proud to celebrate the accomplishments of Onic Shuvo, an alumnus of our Master of Science in Physics program. Shuvo’s research in astrophysics has led to significant achievements, earning him recognition in the international scientific community.
Shuvo is now a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). He is part of a project that captured features at the brink of an active black hole, representing a major leap in astrophysical studies. The findings were recently published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, where Shuvo is credited as a third author. They were also featured in UMBC and NASA news releases.
Shuvo began his academic journey at WIU in 2015, where he worked under the mentorship of Physics Professor Esteban Araya in the Astrophysics Research Laboratory. He participated in a research project on studying formaldehyde in a region where massive stars form. He presented key aspects of his research at the 2016 American Physical Society Prairie Section Meeting, earning the Best Poster Award.
After graduating with a master’s degree in Physics in 2017, Shuvo continued his academic journey as a doctoral student at George Mason University. While completing his Ph.D., he continued his relationship with Professor Araya, culminating in the publication of his WIU research in the prestigious Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society in 2021.
The UMBC press release highlighted Shuvo’s role in the research for his contributions to data analysis and real-time observations.
“This remarkable finding challenges existing models of AGN activity and highlights the unique role that changing-look AGN plays in unraveling the mysteries of the central engine of active galaxies in real-time,” Shuvo said.
Professor Araya praised Shuvo’s accomplishments, noting the long-term nature of scientific research projects in physics and the dedication required to see them through.
Chair of Physics Kishor T. Kapale highlighted that the department strives to make research opportunities available to undergraduate and master's students right when they step foot on campus. Participation in research prepares them early on for successful careers, as they gain first-hand experience in thinking critically and solving problems.
For more information about the WIU Department of Physics, visit wiu.edu/cas/physics/.
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