Dr. Casey McGrath
Research Associate · Non-Tenure Track
Center for Space Science and Technology
He/Him/His/Himself
About
I completed my BS in both physics and mathematics at the University of Redlands, and my PhD in physics at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I am currently a postdoctoral research associate in the CRESST II program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, working at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. There I am a member of the gravitational astrophysics laboratory, working on the LISA mission.
Research interests
I am a gravitational wave astrophysicist that works on the joint ESA/NASA mission LISA ("Laser Interferometer Space Antenna"), a space-based interferometer that will search for gravitational wave signals from sources such as ultra compact binaries and massive black hole mergers. In this effort I am a member of NASA's Science Ground Segment Team, and I contribute to the development of LISA's data analysis pipeline. I am also interested and study auxiliary science cases of the LISA experiment, such as the potential to use LISA to detect exoplanets.
I am also interested in new mission concept and development at NASA. Previously during the 2023 JPL Astrophysics Mission Design School, I served as the Principal Investigator on a Probe-class UV observatory mission concept that my team and I developed. I have also participated on selected NASA Innovative Advanced Concept (NIAC) studies that have explored future mission concepts.
Additionally, I am interested in pulsar timing to detect gravitational waves. This experimental technique uses pulsars across our galaxy to search for the signatures of gravitational waves coming from sources such as supermassive black hole binaries.
Education
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Ph D, Physics
— University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (2021) Gravitational Wave Timing Residual Models for Pulsar Timing Experiments
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BS, Mathematics
— University of Redlands (2014) Stability & Convergence of Numerical Methods For Solving Differential Equations
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BS, Physics
— University of Redlands (2014) Characteristics of Non-Symmetric Edge Flames in Narrow Channels
Creative Publications
Grants and Contracts
- Multi-Messenger Exoplanets: Multi-Mission Synergies to Detect Exoplanets in Gravitational Waves & Electromagnetism 2025