About me

Hi there! I’m a 2nd year Ph.D. student in Astrophysics at the California Institute of Technology, advised by Kareem El-Badry. My research studies how stars form, interact, and evolve in multiple-star systems, particularly binaries and triples.

image from “Third Wheel” Star Brings Companions Closer Together.

I enjoy working at the intersection of theory and observation. On the theoretical side, I model the long-term evolution of binary and triple star systems using detailed simulations and population synthesis frameworks. I am equally interested in confronting these models with the real world: testing predictions against observations and letting them inform one another. On the observational side, I utilize data from ground- and space-based facilities, including Gaia, JWST, HST, Palomar, and Keck, and especially enjoy exploring publicly available surveys.

Outside of astronomy, I spend most of my time playing basketball and tennis, skateboarding, and generally being outdoors.

I am always happy to chat, so don’t hesitate to reach out: cshariat@caltech.edu.