RESEARCH PORTFOLIO

Joan Alcaide-Núñez

Physics BSc student interested in multi-messenger cosmology, particularly combining electromagnetic and gravitational-wave observations to understand the underlying physics of dark energy. Based in Munich, Germany.

Multi-Messenger Cosmology with GRBs and BNS Mergers

2025–
Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera (OAB-INAF), Italy – Advisors: Dr. Giancarlo Ghirlanda, Dr. Om Sharan Salafia
This text is preliminary. During a research stay at OAB-INAF, I developed a multi-messenger framework combining Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) data and simulated Binary Neutron Star (BNS) mergers to constrain cosmological parameters and address the Hubble tension.

I utilized the Amati relation ($E_{\text{peak}} - E_{\text{iso}}$) to fit GRB data via $\chi^2$ minimization for various cosmological models ($\Omega_m - \Omega_\Lambda$). In parallel, I constructed a Hubble diagram ($z - d_L$) using BNS population simulations (Colombo et al., 2025) to infer best-fit parameters.

Future work will incorporate short GRB data and forecast detection sensitivities for next-generation facilities like the Einstein Telescope (ET).

Advisors: Dr. G. Ghirlanda, Dr. O. S. Salafia, Dr. A. Colombo.
Github Repository (preliminary)

CAPIBARA Collaboration COSMOS Project

2024–
Founder & Project Lead
Leading the COSMOS (Constellation Of Student-Made Observing CubeSats) initiative to develop open-source tools and instrumentation for exploring high-energy transient events. The COSMOS program represents CAPIBARA's long-term vision: a modular mission of small CubeSats monitoring the sky for high-energy transient events and gravitational-wave counterparts, with launch planned post-2035. A key objective is forging a global community of young researchers sharing knowledge and interests in multi-messenger astrophysics.
COSMOS-CAPIBARA

Type Ia Supernovae as Cosmological Distance Measurements

2024
Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC-IEEC)
Measured cosmological distances using Type Ia Supernovae as standard candles within the cosmic distance ladder, employing infrared photometry from ESO telescopes. Collected SNIa light curves and photometry from multiple surveys (ZTF, ATLAS, SOFI@LaSilla) and applied the SALT2-NIR model for fitting. Developed computational methods in Python for photometric analysis and light curve modeling.

Cepheid Hubble Constant Recomputation

2023
Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera, Barcelona
Foundation project using Cepheid variable stars as standard candles for cosmological distance measurements. Analyzed Cepheid photometry from the Konkoly Observatory Extragalactic Cepheid Database using the Leavitt Law to perform distance measurements. Computed a Hubble constant value of approximately $70.3 \ \mathrm{km/s/Mpc}$, consistent with contemporary measurements.
VIEW PAPER

Selected Work

Cosmological Parameter Inference with Amati GRB relation

2026 (in prep)
Research report
Access GitHub (preliminary)

The Universe: Cosmology, Stars and Massive Objects

2024
Educational Slides for high schoolers
VIEW SLIDES (Spanish)

Space Exploration

2023
Educational Slides for primary school event
VIEW SLIDES (Catalan)

Recomputing the Hubble Constant

2023
Youth and Science Programme
READ PAPER

Education & Training

Bachelor of Science in Physics

2025–2028

Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität Munich, Germany

Focus on astrophysics.

Abitur-Selectividad (Dual German-Spanish High School Diploma)

2017-2025

Deutsche Schule Barcleona, Spain

Completed dual diploma coursing the German Abitur (learned language) and Spanish Selectividad (maternal language). My 5 final exams mirror my high school journey, a mix of natural sciences (mathematics and physics) and humanities (German lyric, Spanish literature, and Philosophy) and combined written and oral examinations. I obtained a perfect grade 1.0/1.0 and a prize by the German Physical Society (DPG) for outstanding physics performance.

Honors

Youth and Science Fellowship

2023-2025

Funded 3-year fellowship of research experiences for high schoolers. Prestigious scholarship that allows students to have early first-hand experience with real research environments.

Abiturpreis German Physical Society (DPG)

2025

Distinction for extraordinary performance in high school physics.

Jugend Forscht

2024-2025

2024: first prize regional level (Spain + Portugal) and awarded internship (at IMF-DLR) at Nordrhein-Westfalen round. 2025: first prize regional level and Nordrhein-Westfalen round with special scientific photography award, and participant in final round.

International Astronomy and Astrophysics Competition (IAAC)

2023-2025

Awarded the Bronze honour (2023), Silver Honour (2024), and Silver Honour with National Award (2025). Top 7% contestants globally (n>12000).

Approach & Interests

My research sits at the intersection of cosmology and high-energy astrophysics. I am particularly interested in how multiple independent observational probes, gamma-ray bursts and gravitational waves counterparts, can be combined to provide deeper insights into fundamental physics and cosmological parameters.

Beyond traditional research, I believe in the importance of building tools and frameworks that lower barriers to entry in physics and astronomy. This is why I founded and lead the CAPIBARA Collaboration: to demonstrate that rigorous, high-quality science can emerge from student-led initiatives, and to foster a community that values both intellectual rigor and collaborative innovation.

My work emphasizes reproducibility, methodological transparency, and clear communication of both results and uncertainties. I maintain detailed documentation of all computational methods, protocols, and decision logs to ensure legibility of the research process, recognizing that understanding what doesn't work is as valuable as documenting what does.

On Research Ethics & Accessibility

All computation methods used in published work are documented with version control and comprehensive commentary. I am committed to making research accessible and transparent, both in methodology and maintain a public codebase on GitHub.

Get in Touch

For research collaboration, project inquiries or general correspondence contact me here.

Research updates and announcements are published irregularly. For direct communication, email is preferred.