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Professional 

info​​

Fields of interests: protoplanetary disc dynamics & evolution, numerical methods, dust dynamics & growth, observations (mainly ALMA & SPHERE), orbital stability, and meteorites. I am also interested in topics related to exobiology, space exploration and its philosophical implications.

photo_2019-11-07 10.19.01.jpeg

Education

Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellow
Institut de Planétologie et d'Astrophysique de Grenoble
Université Grenoble Alpes

​2020 - present

​

SANDS = Stars, plANets & Discs in multiple Systems

Protoplanetary discs behave as astronomical wizards that turn small sand into planets. Although no magic is involved, the process of planet formation remains utterly mysterious. On the one hand, it is known that the process of star formation leads to a very high fraction of binarity. On the other hand, thousands of exoplanets have been detected around single, binary and even multiple stellar systems. Therefore, we have to face it: the process of planet formation is very resilient! The main scope of the SANDS project is to answer the following question: how are the initial conditions for planet formation affected by stellar multiplicity? By doing so, I expect to provide a comprehensive picture of disc dynamics in multiple systems. This will shed light on the fundamental process of planet formation around young stars and inform about the resulting planetary architectures.

​

FONDECYT Postdoctoral Fellow
Instituto de Astrofísica
Universidad Católica de Chile

​2016 - 2020

​

I am currently working on models and hydrodynamical simulations of circumstellar, circumplanetary and circumbinary disks. In particular, I study gas and dust dynamics in disks affected by stellar flybys, shadows and (un)seen companions. The main scope of my research is to gap the bridge between theory and ALMA observations.

--> Please refer to my projects to learn more about it.

​

PhD in Astrophysics with honors
Centre de Recherche Astrophysique de Lyon
Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1

​2012 - 2015

 

I worked on the dynamics and the structure of the inner regions of protoplanetary disks. My thesis was about the first stages of planet formation around young stars. I considered photophoresis effects, the stellar magnetic field and planets embedded in the disk. The subject is: "Mechanisms of transport in protoplanetary disks and impact on the formation of the first solids".

 

Master's Degree in Theoretical Physics (110/110)
Università degli Studi di Torino

​2010 - 2012

 

After my ERASMUS at the University of Torino, I decided to stay to do a Master's Degree in Theoretical Physics. I studied fundamental physics such as Quantum Field Theory and General Relativity. My Master's thesis was about "X-ray clusters in Conformal Gravity". I performed SPH numerical simulations of clusters of galaxies using the conformal formalism in order to solve thermodynamic problems.

 

BSc in Physics with honors
Université Joseph Fourier Grenoble 1
​2007 - 2010

 

I did the first two years of  "Physique-Mathématiques-Mécanique" at Grenoble 1. Then I did my third year of Physics at Torino as an ERASMUS exchange student.

Skills

Fortran, C/C++

Python, Matlab

OpenMP

LaTeX, HTML

Languages

Spanish - Native

French - Native

English - Fluent

Italien - Fluent

Portuguese - Beginner

Russian - Elementary

Service

Referee for:

- Nature Astronomy.

- Astronomy & Astrophysics

- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

- The Astrophysical Journal

- Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia.

Memberships
Publications

​List of accepted publications in the ADS Abstract Service

​

  • « Dust trapping around Lagrangian points in protoplanetary disks ».

M. Montesinos et al. (incl. N. Cuello)

Astronomy & Astrophysics (2020)

​

  • « Spirals, shadows & precession in HD 100453 - II. The hidden companion ».

R. Nealon, N. Cuello, J.-F. Gonzalez et al.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2020)

​

  • « Spirals, shadows & precession in HD 100453 - I. The orbit of the binary ».

J.-F. Gonzalez et al. (incl. N. Cuello)

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2020)

​

  • « Are the spiral arms in the MWC 758 protoplanetary disc driven by a companion inside the cavity? ».

J. Calcino, V. Christiaens, D.J. Price et al. (incl. N. Cuello)

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society – Volume 498, Issue 1, p.639-650 (2020)

​

  • « Ongoing flyby in the young multiple system UX Tauri ».

F. Ménard, N. Cuello, C. Ginski et al.

Astronomy & Astrophysics Letters – Volume 639, id.L1, 7 p. (2020)​

​

  • « Binary-induced spiral arms inside the disc cavity of AB Aurigae».

P.P. Poblete, J. Calcino, N. Cuello et al.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society – Volume 496, Issue 2, p.2362-2371 (2020)

​

  • « Resolving the FU Ori System with ALMA: Interacting Twin Disks? ».

S. Pérez, A. Hales, H.B. Liu et al. (incl. N. Cuello)

The Astrophysical Journal – Volume 889, Issue 1, id.59 (2020)

​

  • « Flyby-induced misalignments in planet-hosting discs ».

R. Nealon, N. Cuello, R. Alexander.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society – Volume 491, Issue 3, p.4108-4115 (2020)

​

  • « Flybys in protoplanetary discs: II: Observational signatures ».

N. Cuello, F. Louvet, D. Mentiplay et al.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society – Volume 491, Issue 1, p.504-514 (2020)

​​

  • « Signatures of an eccentric disc cavity: Dust and gas in IRS 48 ».

J. Calcino, D.J. Price, C. Pinte, N. van der Marel, E. Ragusa, G. Dipierro, N. Cuello, V. Christiaens.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society – Volume 490, Issue 2, p.2579-2587 (2019)

​

  • « Ploonets: formation, evolution, and detectability of tidally detached exomoons ».

M. Sucerquia, J. Alvarado-Montes, J. Zuluaga, N. Cuello, C. Giuppone

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society – Volume 489, Issue 2, p.2313-2322 (2019)​

​

  • « Dusty clumps in circumbinary discs ».

P.P Poblete, N. Cuello, J. Cuadra.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society – Volume 489, Issue 2, p.2204-2215 (2019)

​

  • « Planet formation and stability in polar circumbinary discs ».

N. Cuello, C. Giuppone.

Astronomy & Astrophysics – Volume 628, id.A119, 9 pp. (2019)

​

  • « Thermal torque effects on the migration of growing low-mass planets ».

O.M. Guilera, N. Cuello, M. Montesinos et al.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society – Volume 486, Issue 4, p.5690-5708 (2019)

​

  • « Parametric study of polar configurations around binaries ».

C. Giuppone, N. Cuello.

Journal of Physics: Conference Series – in press (2019)

​

  • « Flybys in protoplanetary discs: I. Gas and dust dynamics ».

N. Cuello, G. Dipierro, D. Mentiplay, D.J. Price, C. Pinte et al.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society – Volume 483, Issue 3, p.4114-4139 (2019)

​

  • « Dusty spirals triggered by shadows in transition discs ».

N. Cuello, M. Montesinos, S.M. Stammler, F. Louvet, J. Cuadra.

Astronomy & Astrophysics – Volume 622, id.A43, 15 pp (2019).

​

  • « Circumbinary, not transitional: On the spiral arms, cavity, shadows, fast radial flows, streamers and horseshoe in the HD142527 disc ».

D.J. Price, N. Cuello, C. Pinte, D. Mentiplay, S. Casassus et al.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society – Volume 477, Issue 1, p.1270-1284 (2018)

​

  • « Planetary-like spirals caused by moving shadows in transition discs ».

M. Montesinos, N. Cuello.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Letters – Volume 475, Issue 1, p.L35-L39 (2018)​

​

  • « Size and density sorting of dust grains in SPH simulations of protoplanetary discs ».

F.C. Pignatale, J.-F. Gonzalez, N. Cuello, B. Bourdon, C. Fitoussi.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society – Volume 469, Issue 1, p.237-254 (2017)

​

  • « Ejection via Accretion: A Unified Framework for CAI Transport, Heating, Wark-Lovering Rim Formation and Bowl-Shaped CAI ».

K. Liffman, N. Cuello, D. Paterson.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society – Volume 462, Issue 2, p.1137-1163 (2016)

​

  • « Effects of photophoresis on the dust distribution in a 3D protoplanetary disc ».

N. Cuello, F.C. Pignatale, J.F. Gonzalez.

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society – Volume 458, Issue 2, p.2140-2149 (2016)

​​

  • « Effects of the sample environment and collimation in the background measurement ».

N. Cuello & G.J. Cuello

Journal of Physics: Conference Series – Volume 340, Issue 1, article id. 012023 (2012)

 

- Société Française d'Astronomie

et d'Astrophysique (SF2A). 

- Société Française d'Exobiologie (SFE).

- Núcleo Milenio de Formación Planetaria

-  DUSTBUSTERS consortium

- Phantom developpers

Conferences
& Seminars

  • « Exploring the effects of stellar multiplicity on planet formation » 

JAO Colloquium @ ALMA

Santiago - Chile - 11/2019.​

​​

  • « Exploring the effects of stellar multiplicity on planet formation » 

IPAG Seminar @ IPAG

Grenoble - France - 9/2019.​

​

  • « F.S.I.: Flyby Scene Investigation » 

Great Barriers of Planet Formation @ Palm Cove

Palm Cove - Australia - 7/2019.

​

  • « Circumbinary Polar Discs, Tatooines, Clumps and Ploonets » 

Disc-ussion workshop @ Monash University

Melbourne - Australia - 7/2019.

​

  • « Stellar Flybys and Circumbinary Discs: Theory, Simulations, and Observations » 

Seminar @ Niels Bohr Institute

Copenhagen - Danmark - 6/2019.​

​​​

  • « Interacting stellar objects: discs, flybys, and binaries » 

Lunchtalk @ University of Leicester

Leicester - England - 6/2019.​

​

  • « Flybys, wiggling jets, dusty clumps, polar Tatooines and ploonets » 

Theoretical Astrophysics Meeting @ University of Leicester

Leicester - England - 2/2019.​

​

  • « Flybys in protoplanetary discs: dynamical signatures in dust and gas » 

SF2A Annual Meeting @ Université de Bordeaux

Bordeaux - France - 7/2018.​

​

  • « Stellar flybys in protoplanetary discs » 

Friends of Friends Meeting @ Observatorio Astronómico de Córdoba

Córdoba - Argentina - 4/2018.​

​

  • « Dust evolution in discs affected by binaries and stellar flybys » 

Diversis Mundi @ ESO

Santiago - Chile - 3/2018.​

​

  • « Asimetrías en discos protoplanetarios causadas por compañeros (sub)estelares » 

IX Taller de Ciencias Planetarias

La Plata - Argentina - 2/2018.​

​

  • « Dusty spirals triggered by shadows in protoplanetary disks » 

Disk instabilities across cosmic scales,

Sexten - Italy - 7/2017.​

​

  • « Dusty spirals triggered by shadows in protoplanetary disks » 

Seminar at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics,

Garching - Germany - 7/2017.​

​

  • « Dust asymmetries in disks caused by gravitational perturbations » 

Disks and Planets Seminar at Calan Observatory,

Santiago - Chile - 5/2016.​

​

  • « Photophoretic transport of dust in transition disks » 

Resolving Planet Formation in the Era of ALMA and Extreme AO,

Santiago - Chile - 5/2016.

​

  • « Photophoresis: a promising way to break the radial-drift barrier in transitional disks » 

Planet Formation and Evolution 2016

Duisburg - Germany - 3/2016.​

​

  • « Photophoresis: a promising mechanism to break the radial-drift barrier »

4th Australian Exoplanet Workshop,

Toowoomba - Australia - 12/2014.​

​

  • « Cooling and Heating Processes in Protoplanetary Disks »

Seminar at the Instituto de Astronomía Teórica y Experimental (IATE),

Córdoba - Argentina - 20/12/2013.

​

  • « Neutron Optical Coherence Tomography »

Seminar at College 3 at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL)

Grenoble - France - 16/09/2011.

​

  • « Neutron Optical Coherence Tomography »

Technical Meeting, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

Vienna - Austria - 6/09/2011.

Experience
Summer of High Performance Computing
PRACE (Budapest)

​2013 - 2 months

​

​During the summer, I worked on the parallelization and performance analysis of a code for quantum mechanics calculations called SIESTA. I also learnt how to compile parallelized codes on supercomputers and clusters with MPI and OpenMP.

​
Institut Laue Langevin (Grenoble)
​2011 - 3 months

 

Under the supervision of Dr. Roland Gahler, I worked on neutronic techniques (such as MIEZE) which can be have direct applications in imagery techniques in material science. I had the opportunity to present our work at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Viena during a technical meeting. 

​

Institut Néel - CEA (Grenoble)

​2009 - 1 month

 

​After my second year of Physics, I did an "excellence internship" at the HeLFA Team. I worked on hysteresis cycles of helium in aerogels. More specifically, I helped designing and assembling rotating windows which could be remotely opened and closed using powerfull magnets. The aim was to shield the aerogels from infrared radiation without modifying the geometry of the cryostat.

Teaching
During my PhD, I taught at the Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 and at the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon (64h per year, total of ~200h). Moreover, I often participated in conferences for children and students who come to the Observatory. List of the courses:
 
  • Mathematics - 3rd year ENS

​Fall 2012 - Fall 2013 - Fall 2014

 

  • Mathematics & Programming - 2nd year Lyon 1

​Fall 2012 - Fall 2013

 

  • Astrophysics - 2nd year Lyon 1

​Spring 2013

 

  • Geophysics - 2nd year Lyon 1

​Spring 2013

 

  • Scientific Programming - 3rd year ENS

​Fall 2013

 

  • Astronomy - primary and highschool

​Spring 2013

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