Erica Sawczynec
@ericasawczynec.bsky.social
University of Texas at Austin PhD candidate 🤘🏻| star & instrument (IGRINS) enthusiast ⭐️ 🔭| writer for Astrobites 🪐 | Maui, HI | she/hers
igrinscontact.github.io
igrinscontact.github.io
Pinned
10 Years of Archival High-Resolution NIR Spectra: The Raw and Reduced IGRINS Spectral Archive (RRISA)
The Immersion GRating INfrared Spectrometer (IGRINS) is a compact, high-resolution (R~45,000) near-infrared spectrograph spanning 1.45 to 2.45 um in a single exposure. We introduce the Raw and Reduced...
arxiv.org
today my first first author paper came out on arxiv (arxiv.org/abs/2503.05867)! this archive was a labor of love and there are still more updates to come in 2025 🤩 if you need high resolution archival NIR spectra check out RRISA for IGRINS :-) #astro #stellarastro
Reposted by Erica Sawczynec
THEN YOU PURCHASE THEM AND DO NOT USE THE PROPERTY OF OTHERS
Open AI loses copyright case in Germany.
Judge Elke Schwager summarized the case saying that if you want to build something and need components, "then you purchase them and do not use the property of others."
Judge Elke Schwager summarized the case saying that if you want to build something and need components, "then you purchase them and do not use the property of others."
Blow for OpenAI in Germany as court rules song lyrics used illegally
A German court ruled on Tuesday that OpenAI violated copyright on nine popular songs in a lawsuit that marked another attempt to prevent the free use of artists' content online. The Munich Regional Co...
www.yahoo.com
November 14, 2025 at 9:23 PM
THEN YOU PURCHASE THEM AND DO NOT USE THE PROPERTY OF OTHERS
Reposted by Erica Sawczynec
Lots of folks captioning aurora photos like "for a few minutes we didn't think about politics"
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
November 13, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Lots of folks captioning aurora photos like "for a few minutes we didn't think about politics"
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
Reposted by Erica Sawczynec
update: it was a terrible last night of 4.5-5 arcsecond seeing i love feeling cold front weather but i hate observing as one rolls in
November 10, 2025 at 3:32 AM
update: it was a terrible last night of 4.5-5 arcsecond seeing i love feeling cold front weather but i hate observing as one rolls in
out observing targets for my thesis (and some running survey programs) with IGRINS. Had some great weather the past few nights and hoping for more! 🔭✨
November 9, 2025 at 12:57 AM
out observing targets for my thesis (and some running survey programs) with IGRINS. Had some great weather the past few nights and hoping for more! 🔭✨
Reposted by Erica Sawczynec
WOW!
An incredible discovery. The first ever image of a baby exoplanet embedded in the dust rings from which planets are forming around a star. Confirms the developing view of planet formation that we’ve never before seen in action.
🧪🔭
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2025...
An incredible discovery. The first ever image of a baby exoplanet embedded in the dust rings from which planets are forming around a star. Confirms the developing view of planet formation that we’ve never before seen in action.
🧪🔭
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2025...
November 8, 2025 at 3:20 AM
WOW!
An incredible discovery. The first ever image of a baby exoplanet embedded in the dust rings from which planets are forming around a star. Confirms the developing view of planet formation that we’ve never before seen in action.
🧪🔭
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2025...
An incredible discovery. The first ever image of a baby exoplanet embedded in the dust rings from which planets are forming around a star. Confirms the developing view of planet formation that we’ve never before seen in action.
🧪🔭
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2025...
Reposted by Erica Sawczynec
They're tearing Goddard apart for scraps and I'm supposed to write as many proposals as I can to scramble for a fraction of the money NASA has left? Depressing, degrading, and dehumanizing in a time when the future of planetary science can be measured in the number of people it leaves behind.
November 6, 2025 at 9:08 PM
They're tearing Goddard apart for scraps and I'm supposed to write as many proposals as I can to scramble for a fraction of the money NASA has left? Depressing, degrading, and dehumanizing in a time when the future of planetary science can be measured in the number of people it leaves behind.
Reposted by Erica Sawczynec
What is happening at Goddard is absolutely devastating. We are losing history. We are losing an incredible amount of human talent, skill, and knowledge. Rebuilding it will be impossible same for same. Industry can not absorb the people or the equipment. This is undoing space science in the US.
Goddard spacecraft engineer: "I think it just kind of speaks to the atmosphere of the agency and the nation, where people are like, 'Well, laws don't matter for the people at the top anymore.'"
NASA is sinking its flagship science center during the government shutdown — and may be breaking the law in the process, critics say
"There is just a general acknowledgement that a lot of what is happening is illegal…"
www.space.com
November 6, 2025 at 3:43 PM
What is happening at Goddard is absolutely devastating. We are losing history. We are losing an incredible amount of human talent, skill, and knowledge. Rebuilding it will be impossible same for same. Industry can not absorb the people or the equipment. This is undoing space science in the US.
Reposted by Erica Sawczynec
Chat… Are Black Holes Dark Energy??
In my new longer-than-usual piece for @astrobites.bsky.social, I do a deep dive into the background of the controversial 2023 paper which claimed black holes expand in step with the universe and can therefore explain dark energy. 🧪
astrobites.org/2025/10/30/a...
In my new longer-than-usual piece for @astrobites.bsky.social, I do a deep dive into the background of the controversial 2023 paper which claimed black holes expand in step with the universe and can therefore explain dark energy. 🧪
astrobites.org/2025/10/30/a...
October 30, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Chat… Are Black Holes Dark Energy??
In my new longer-than-usual piece for @astrobites.bsky.social, I do a deep dive into the background of the controversial 2023 paper which claimed black holes expand in step with the universe and can therefore explain dark energy. 🧪
astrobites.org/2025/10/30/a...
In my new longer-than-usual piece for @astrobites.bsky.social, I do a deep dive into the background of the controversial 2023 paper which claimed black holes expand in step with the universe and can therefore explain dark energy. 🧪
astrobites.org/2025/10/30/a...
daaaaaamn the bottom left figure of the spectrograph is super great!
Big congrats to Jennifer Burt, Xavier Dumusque, and Sam Halverson on finishing their epic (instant classic) Annual Reviews of Astronomy & Astrophysics article "Precise Radial Velocities"!
arxiv.org/abs/2511.01954
contains some great new graphics for talks on
#exoplanets #EPRV #DopplerSpectroscopy
arxiv.org/abs/2511.01954
contains some great new graphics for talks on
#exoplanets #EPRV #DopplerSpectroscopy
November 5, 2025 at 4:08 PM
daaaaaamn the bottom left figure of the spectrograph is super great!
Reposted by Erica Sawczynec
Mamdani: "New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and as of tonight, led by an immigrant."
November 5, 2025 at 4:40 AM
Mamdani: "New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and as of tonight, led by an immigrant."
Reposted by Erica Sawczynec
mamdani is human. he'll fuck up and fail, especially with a hostile press and the giant mess that is nyc's politics. but today is a great day for the brave women who told what cuomo did, and for those of us who care that it should matter. that power shouldn't go to those who hurt the poweless.
I'm happy that Mamdani won. But I won't let that get in the way of my celebrating Cuomo losing.
November 5, 2025 at 2:53 AM
mamdani is human. he'll fuck up and fail, especially with a hostile press and the giant mess that is nyc's politics. but today is a great day for the brave women who told what cuomo did, and for those of us who care that it should matter. that power shouldn't go to those who hurt the poweless.
Reposted by Erica Sawczynec
Terrible scenes just minutes into the new socialist regime in New York as literally hundreds of billionaires discover mamdani already living rent free in their heads
November 5, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Terrible scenes just minutes into the new socialist regime in New York as literally hundreds of billionaires discover mamdani already living rent free in their heads
Reposted by Erica Sawczynec
Don't forget that Zohran Mamdani spent his entire campaign standing proudly beside the trans community. He went to trans rights rallies just to show support. He proudly waved trans rights flags without hesitation. He refused to back down in support of trans rights. That makes me happy.
November 5, 2025 at 2:35 AM
Don't forget that Zohran Mamdani spent his entire campaign standing proudly beside the trans community. He went to trans rights rallies just to show support. He proudly waved trans rights flags without hesitation. He refused to back down in support of trans rights. That makes me happy.
NYC I LOVE YOU
November 5, 2025 at 2:57 AM
NYC I LOVE YOU
a little change in hue (*´∇｀*)
October 29, 2025 at 11:16 PM
a little change in hue (*´∇｀*)
Reposted by Erica Sawczynec
If you have it please donate cash to the food banks. $10 in their hands will feed more people than the $10 worth of canned goods you can buy for retail prices. Also check on your elders. Many of them will not admit they rely on these programs so grocery gift cards or a surprise bag of staples
US Department of Agriculture says no food aid benefits will be issued next month reut.rs/3WohHMk
US Department of Agriculture says no food aid benefits will be issued next month
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Saturday that food benefits under one of the country's biggest social assistance programs will not be issued next month amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.
reut.rs
October 26, 2025 at 3:37 PM
If you have it please donate cash to the food banks. $10 in their hands will feed more people than the $10 worth of canned goods you can buy for retail prices. Also check on your elders. Many of them will not admit they rely on these programs so grocery gift cards or a surprise bag of staples
Reposted by Erica Sawczynec
SPIDERS is out of the clean room and almost ready to ship — it’s really happening! #instrumentation #exoplanets
October 18, 2025 at 10:10 PM
SPIDERS is out of the clean room and almost ready to ship — it’s really happening! #instrumentation #exoplanets
targets with molecular hydrogen emission HATE to see me coming ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ
it was truly an amazing night of observing 🔭
*･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･'(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)'･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･*
it was truly an amazing night of observing 🔭
*･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･'(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)'･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･*
October 20, 2025 at 12:14 AM
targets with molecular hydrogen emission HATE to see me coming ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ
it was truly an amazing night of observing 🔭
*･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･'(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)'･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･*
it was truly an amazing night of observing 🔭
*･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･'(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)'･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･*
about to have a prolific observing night with IGRINS @ McDonald
October 19, 2025 at 2:23 AM
about to have a prolific observing night with IGRINS @ McDonald
Reposted by Erica Sawczynec
PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!!
The University of Texas-Austin is beginning a process to eliminate the Black Studies, Latino Studies, and Gender Studies departments in the College of Liberal Arts. This is a grave threat to the educational liberty of students, faculty, staff, and the people of Texas. 1/
The University of Texas-Austin is beginning a process to eliminate the Black Studies, Latino Studies, and Gender Studies departments in the College of Liberal Arts. This is a grave threat to the educational liberty of students, faculty, staff, and the people of Texas. 1/
October 13, 2025 at 4:37 PM
PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!!
The University of Texas-Austin is beginning a process to eliminate the Black Studies, Latino Studies, and Gender Studies departments in the College of Liberal Arts. This is a grave threat to the educational liberty of students, faculty, staff, and the people of Texas. 1/
The University of Texas-Austin is beginning a process to eliminate the Black Studies, Latino Studies, and Gender Studies departments in the College of Liberal Arts. This is a grave threat to the educational liberty of students, faculty, staff, and the people of Texas. 1/
Reposted by Erica Sawczynec
In this bite, the Astrobites authors discuss recent changes to the NSF’s Graduate Research Fellowship, their impact, and what you can do to help. 🔭✨☄️
astrobites.org/2025/10/04/n...
astrobites.org/2025/10/04/n...
Big Changes to the NSF’s Graduate Fellowship Mean Big Problems
In this bite, the authors discuss recent changes to the NSF's Graduate Research Fellowship, their impact, and what you can do to help.
astrobites.org
October 5, 2025 at 9:39 PM
In this bite, the Astrobites authors discuss recent changes to the NSF’s Graduate Research Fellowship, their impact, and what you can do to help. 🔭✨☄️
astrobites.org/2025/10/04/n...
astrobites.org/2025/10/04/n...
obsessed with this
We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.
October 1, 2025 at 5:31 PM
obsessed with this
Reposted by Erica Sawczynec
Welcome to the official 4-metre Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope (4MOST) Bluesky account! Stay tuned for our first-light events coming very soon, and updates on all of the amazing science we will be completing over the years to come!
📷: Y. Beletsky/ESO
#4most #ESO #telescope #astronomy
📷: Y. Beletsky/ESO
#4most #ESO #telescope #astronomy
September 17, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Welcome to the official 4-metre Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope (4MOST) Bluesky account! Stay tuned for our first-light events coming very soon, and updates on all of the amazing science we will be completing over the years to come!
📷: Y. Beletsky/ESO
#4most #ESO #telescope #astronomy
📷: Y. Beletsky/ESO
#4most #ESO #telescope #astronomy
Reposted by Erica Sawczynec
NSF today released instructions for the next round of applicants to its Graduate Research Fellowship Program. A key group—second-year Ph.D. students—is no longer eligible, and students who are still able to apply will face an unusually narrow timeframe. https://scim.ag/3KlQkQk
‘Completely shattered.’ Changes to NSF’s graduate student fellowship spur outcry
The announcement comes months later than usual, leaving many would-be applicants stranded
www.science.org
September 26, 2025 at 11:09 PM
NSF today released instructions for the next round of applicants to its Graduate Research Fellowship Program. A key group—second-year Ph.D. students—is no longer eligible, and students who are still able to apply will face an unusually narrow timeframe. https://scim.ag/3KlQkQk