{"684207":{"#nid":"684207","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Physics Student Wins NASA FINESST Grant for Black Hole Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/joshua-faggert\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJ. Cole Faggert\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a Ph.D. student in\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E, has received a\u0026nbsp;NASA\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nspires.nasaprs.com\/external\/solicitations\/summary.do?solId=%7b2AAB44BB-6DFB-C42E-315A-DC2D70683A9D%7d\u0026amp;path=\u0026amp;method=init\u0022\u003EFINESST\u003C\/a\u003E (Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology) Award to study supermassive black holes and the\u0026nbsp;physics of their plasma flows.\u0026nbsp;His research proposal was one of\u0026nbsp;24 selected from more than 450 astrophysics submissions this year.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s amazing to be recognized for this research,\u201d says Faggert. \u201cI am grateful to my research group for helping me prepare the proposal and inspiring my ideas.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThrough the FINESST program, NASA\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/\u0022\u003EScience Mission Directorate\u003C\/a\u003E provides three-year grants for \u201cgraduate student-designed and performed research projects that contribute to its science, technology, and exploration goals,\u201d according to the program\u2019s website.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFaggert will serve as the future investigator of the award and will be advised by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ozelgroup.physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFeryal\u0026nbsp;\u00d6zel\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, chair and professor in the School of Physics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI am very proud that Cole has been selected for the FINESST Fellowship, one of the most competitive graduate awards in the country,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u00d6zel, who is the principal investigator of the research. \u201cThis fellowship will support groundbreaking research on multi-wavelength imaging of black holes \u2014 an area central to advancing our understanding of black holes and galaxies. It is especially exciting that this work also contributes directly to the development of our space-based mission at Georgia Tech.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA key aspect of Faggert\u2019s proposal is its multi-frequency approach, which generates and analyzes images of supermassive black holes using different radio wavelengths. When combined and compared, these multi-frequency observations allow scientists to learn about black holes and explore fundamental physical concepts such as gravity and plasma behavior.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cOne of the coolest things about studying cosmic objects like black holes is that you have to work with the information you have,\u201d explains Faggert. \u201cBut when you combine several avenues of information, like in multi-frequency radio imaging, you can gain a better understanding of phenomena and under conditions that can\u2019t be replicated on Earth.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThis research aligns with current trends in astrophysics that focus on advanced imaging techniques to broaden the data available on the structure, formation, and behavior of black holes and other celestial objects. According to Faggert, this information can then be contrasted with theoretical simulations, providing insights into fundamental physics and the nature of the universe.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EReceiving the FINESST Award is particularly meaningful for Faggert, given his longstanding interest in space and his previous exposure to NASA\u2019s Wallops Flight Facility and Langley Research Center through the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/vsgc.odu.edu\/vasts\/\u0022\u003EVirginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars program\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cBeing associated with NASA holds a special place in my heart. Over the years, my focus has shifted from designing space missions to studying the science those missions make possible. It is definitely rewarding to come full circle and be recognized by NASA for this research,\u201d he adds.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJ. Cole Faggert, a Ph.D. student in\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;School of Physics, will use multi-wavelength imaging to study supermassive black holes and the\u0026nbsp;physics of their plasma flows.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"J. Cole Faggert, a Ph.D. student in\u00a0the\u00a0School of Physics, will use multi-wavelength imaging to study supermassive black holes and the\u00a0physics of their plasma flows."}],"uid":"36583","created_gmt":"2025-08-27 14:37:17","changed_gmt":"2025-08-27 16:04:04","author":"lvidal7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-08-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-08-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677818":{"id":"677818","type":"image","title":"J. Cole Faggert, Ph.D. student in the School of Physics","body":null,"created":"1756305499","gmt_created":"2025-08-27 14:38:19","changed":"1756305499","gmt_changed":"2025-08-27 14:38:19","alt":"J. Cole Faggert, Ph.D. student in the School of Physics","file":{"fid":"261759","name":"JCF15-3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/27\/JCF15-3.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/27\/JCF15-3.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":11645385,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/08\/27\/JCF15-3.jpg?itok=hYqsP7qW"}},"677817":{"id":"677817","type":"image","title":"Feryal \u00d6zel, chair and professor in the School of Physics","body":null,"created":"1756305466","gmt_created":"2025-08-27 14:37:46","changed":"1756305466","gmt_changed":"2025-08-27 14:37:46","alt":"Feryal \u00d6zel, chair and professor in the School of Physics","file":{"fid":"261758","name":"4476_crop.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/27\/4476_crop.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/27\/4476_crop.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1115612,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/08\/27\/4476_crop.JPG?itok=t2BB4Yfn"}}},"media_ids":["677818","677817"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/ozelgroup.physics.gatech.edu\/","title":"\u00d6zel Research Group"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"185720","name":"NASA FINESST award"},{"id":"192252","name":"cos-planetary"},{"id":"192259","name":"cos-students"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193657","name":"Space Research Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}