Research

My Research Philosophy

I am a researcher who specializes in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). SETI is a part of astrobiology, and the search for technosignatures just as important to develop and execute as the search for biosignatures. I am interested in exploring novel technosignature approaches, performing searches with orders-of-magnitude improvements in parameter space coverage, improving technosignature search algorithms, and advocating for technosignatures as an integrated part of astrobiology and astronomy more generally.

I am a member of the Breakthrough Listen Search for Intelligent Life.

First-Author Work

Sheikh, S. Z., Smith, S., Price, D., Lebofsky, M., Siemion, A., Cordes, J. M., … Worden, S. P. (2021). No Redetections of blc1 in 39 hr of Reobservation Campaigns of Proxima Centauri. Research Notes of the AAS, 5(10), 248.

Sheikh, S. Z., Smith, S., Price, D. C., DeBoer, D., Lacki, B. C., Czech, D. J., … Worden, S. P. (2021). Analysis of the Breakthrough Listen signal of interest blc1 with a technosignature verification framework. Nature Astronomy, 5(11), 1153–1162.

Sheikh, S. Z., Berea, A., Davis, R., Torre, G. G. D. la, DeMarines, J., Fisher, T., … Wright, J. T. (2021). Technosignatures as a Priority in Planetary Science. Bulletin of the AAS, 53(4), 1–7.

Sheikh, S. Z., Brown, G., Jones, B., MacDonald, M. G., MacTaggart, J. R., Nguyen, T., Rosario, G.,
Smedile, V. A., Stone, A. T., You, S. (2021). A Compilation of Pulse Widths and Their Associated Observing Parameters for All Known Nulling Pulsars. Research Notes of the AAS, 5(5), p. 128.

Sheikh, S.Z., and M.G. MacDonald (2021). A statistical analysis of the nulling pulsar population. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 502(4), pp. 4669-4679.

Sheikh, S. Z. (2021) Observational and Theoretical Studies of Radio Technosignatures and Pulsars. Dissertation. Pennsylvania State University.

Sheikh, S. Z., Siemion, A., Enriquez, J. E., Price, D. C., Isaacson, H., Lebofsky, M., & Kalas, P. (2020). The Breakthrough Listen Search for Intelligent Life: A 3.95–8.00 GHz Search for Radio Technosignatures in the Restricted Earth Transit Zone. The Astronomical Journal, 160(1), 29. https://doi.org/ 10.3847/1538-3881/ab9361

Sheikh, S.Z. (2019). Nine axes of merit for technosignature searches. International Journal of Astrobiology, 19(3), pp. 237–243.

Sheikh, S. Z., Wright, J. T., Siemion, A. P. & Enriquez, J. E. (2019). Choosing a Maximum Drift Rate in a SETI Search: Astrophysical Considerations. The Astrophysical Journal, 884(1), p. 14.