Pedro Cataldi, Ph.D.

Research Associate · Institute of Astronomy, UNAM

Extragalactic Astronomy · Galaxy Formation · Cosmology · Cosmological Simulations

About me

I am a Research Associate at the Institute of Astronomy (IA–UNAM) in Mexico City, where I work on galaxy formation, large-scale structure, and cosmological simulations. I am a member of the Dark Energy Science Collaboration (DESC) through the Mexico In-Kind contribution, with a focus on connecting simulations and theoretical models with observations from current and upcoming astronomical surveys.

My research interests broadly encompass galaxy formation and evolution, galaxy clustering, assembly bias, dark matter halos, and alternative cosmological models. I am particularly interested in using numerical simulations and synthetic observations to understand how galaxies and their environments evolve across cosmic time.

You can find my institutional profile at the Institute of Astronomy, UNAM.

Previous research

Before joining IA–UNAM, I was a Postdoctoral Researcher in Numerical Astrophysics at the Institute of Astronomy and Space Physics (IAFE) in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as part of the GANE team. There, I worked on numerical approaches to problems involving cosmology, galaxy formation, and baryonic physics.

I completed my Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Buenos Aires, under the supervision of Dr. Susana E. Pedrosa. My doctoral research focused on alternative cosmological models, baryonic physics, and the evolution of dark matter halos using numerical simulations. My doctoral work was supported by a CONICET Ph.D. fellowship and the LACEGAL-RISE program.

My CONICET researcher profile is also available online.

Research

My current research combines cosmological simulations, galaxy formation, and synthetic observations, with particular interests in:

• Galaxy formation and evolution
• Galaxy sizes and structural properties
• Large-scale structure and galaxy clustering
• Halo occupation and galaxy–halo connection
• Assembly bias
• Alternative gravity and cosmological models
• Synthetic observations and mock catalogues
• Connections between simulations and upcoming surveys such as Rubin/LSST

Beyond research

When I am not working on galaxies and cosmological simulations, I enjoy kettlebell training, running, social activities, and spending time with friends and family.

Thanks for stopping by! 👋