Dr. Maryam Dehghanian is an expert in quasar outflows, AGN structure, and photoionization modeling. She currently serves as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Kentucky, where she is a core developer of the Cloudy spectral synthesis code. Cloudy is , in fact, a spectral synthesis code designed to simulate spectra from interstellar matter possibly exposed to an external source of radiation under a broad range of conditions. Cloudy simulates gas ranging from fully ionized to molecular. This makes it possible to predict many observed quantities by specifying only the properties of the cloud and the radiation field striking it.  Working under the supervision of Dr. Gary Ferland, the original architect of Cloudy, Dr. Dehghanian is playing a central role in advancing the next generation of this foundational astrophysical modeling tool.

 

 

Prior to joining the University of Kentucky, Dr. Dehghanian was a research faculty member at Virginia Tech, where she worked in the quasar outflows group led by Dr. Nahum Arav. There, she contributed to major advances in understanding energetic outflows in active galactic nuclei, developing sophisticated models to interpret multi-wavelength observations and constrain physical conditions in the outflowing gas.

 

Her current work focuses on modernizing Cloudy’s atomic database and enhancing its capabilities to support data interpretation from observatories such as JWST, XRISM, and future space missions. She has led the integration of new atomic datasets—such as R-matrix calculations for isoelectronic sequences—into the code and has implemented systematic improvements to its internal handling of energy levels, line formation, and physical diagnostics.

 

Dr. Dehghanian brings a rich combination of observational and theoretical expertise to her work. She has authored and co-authored over 40 refereed publications covering AGN variability, broad-line region structure, and absorption outflows.  Beyond her research accomplishments, Dr. Dehghanian is deeply committed to community-building and mentorship.  As a scientist and a mother, Dr. Dehghanian draws inspiration from her five-year-old daughter, Lara, for whom she strives to be a strong role model. Motivated by a desire to help make the world a better place to live, she sees her contributions to science not only as intellectual pursuits but also as part of a broader legacy of empowerment, curiosity, and progress for future generations.

• Astronomy & Astrophysics
• Photoionization modeling
• Quantitative spectroscopy
• Reverberatation mapping

• Physics & Astronomy

Curriculum Vitae (CV)
The Cloudy Project
PhD dissertation
Publication