Chandreyee Maitra

"Hard work and persistence will always bear fruits!"

Life
I am Chandreyee Maitra. I am an astrophysicist/astronomer at the high energy group at MPE. I am from India. I did my PhD in astrophysics from the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, India. After that I moved to CEA Saclay in France where I worked for a few years as a postdoc for the XMM Newton Survey Science Centre. I joined MPE in 2016.

I have always been interested in space sciences and astronomy since childhood, and would read up whatever articles or popular science books came to my reach. Nevertheless I chose the more conventional path and did my Bachelor’s in Electronics engineering. During the third year of the course I was selected for a summer school in astronomy at a research institute in India. I jumped to the opportunity and this eventually paved the path to chase my dreams of becoming an astrophysicist and I never looked back since.

Science
My scientific interests lie in studying compact objects, mainly neutron stars and their environments, and X-ray pulsars. I am also interested in population studies of nearby galaxies. My main scientific interest in eROSITA is in studying the Magellanic Cloud system. Only a small-fraction of the entire Magellanic Cloud System (which covers nearly 200 square degrees on the sky) was covered in the X-ray regime (at energies > 2 keV) until recently. eROSITA has provided the first complete view of the Magellanic Clouds. We have already made several interesting discoveries to uncover the source population in the Magellanic Clouds and perhaps this is just the beginning.

Besides doing scientific projects, I am a part of the software development team of eROSITA and also do operations regularly where we communicate with eROSITA during ground contacts. The last few years of involvement with the software and instrument team of eROSITA has provided me with a new perspective to science and I enjoy it very much.

Interests
I am a trained Hindustani classical vocalist and try to keep up with my practise during my spare time. I am also interested in the conservation and preservation of traditional Indian music and have recently ventured in this domain. Besides, I like travelling, hiking, and reading.

Conclusion
My advice to young scientists: Do not be afraid to pursue your dreams. Even if the way forward seems difficult, hard work and persistence will always bear fruits. What seems like a dead end can lead to new avenues if one keeps a keen and open mind.