Eda Sonbas

Dr. Eda Sonbas graduated from Çukurova University with a doctorate degree in 2009 after completing her doctoral thesis research at the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In 2009, she started working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at Adıyaman University. She joined NASA Goddard Space Flight Center to work on Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) between 2010 and 2011. During the same period, she established collaborations with the astrophysics group at the George Washington University (GWU) Physics Department. She was promoted to Associate Professor in 2014 in the Department of Physics at Adıyaman University. In the same year, she was awarded the “Young Scientist Award” by the Science Academy, Turkey. In 2014 she successfully led an effort at Adiyaman University to establish an on-campus observatory housing a 60-cm telescope (Adyu60) to perform long-term monitoring of astrophysical objects of interest to the astro community. Dr. Sonbas developed and strengthened local and international collaborations during her term as the Director of the observatory. She was promoted to full Professor in 2019 in the Department of Physics at Adıyaman University. In the same year, she joined the GWU Physics Department as an Adjunct Research Professor. Dr. Sonbas has published over 70 research articles, mostly in collaboration with groups at NASA-Goddard and GWU. Her research interests include multiwavelength studies of gamma ray bursts (GRBs), the spectral and temporal studies of X-ray binaries (XRBs) including ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs). She has expanded the optical component of her research program to include the investigation of the emission from AGN accretion disks in nearby galaxies using the infrared (IR) capability of the James Webb Space Telescope.