Barkha Bale
Junior Researcher
Member of Astrospectroscopy and Exoplanets Group
Research
Chemical abundances in magnetically active RS CVn stars.
Mixing processes and their impact on surface abundances of C, N, O, and Li.
Stellar and Galactic chemical evolution through C, N, O abundances.
Research projects:
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Chemical elements as clocks for the stellar age determination" (2023.04.01-2026.03.31). Research group project funded by Lithuanian Research Council, Nr. P-MIP-23-49.
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The history of C, N, and O in the Galaxy (Project Reg. Nr.: 2024/52/L/ST9/00220). PIs: dr hab. Rodolfo Smiljanic, doc. dr Šarūnas Mikolaitis.(2025-2028).
Other activities
Scientific and Public Talks
“Overcoming Obstacles”, TEDx Talk, Vilnius International School, Vilnius, Lithuania (May 2022)
“The End of the Universe”, Neveronių Gimnazija, Kaunas, Lithuania (2025)
“Biomarkers & Biosignatures in the Search for Extraterrestrial Life”, Mokslo Festivalis – Erdvėlaivis Žemė, Lithuania (September 2024)
“The End of the Universe”, Mokslo Festivalis – Erdvėlaivis Žemė, Lithuania (July 2023)
“The Seen and the Unseen Universe”, Mokslo Festivalis – Erdvėlaivis Žemė, Lithuania (September 2022)
“Methodologies of Teaching Physics”, Invited Talk, HJCE, Mumbai, India (2020,2021)
Presentations at International Conferences
European Astronomical Society Annual Meeting, Cork, Ireland — Poster: “Chemical composition of photospheres in 20 RS CVn stars” (23–27 June 2025)
Open Readings, Vilnius, Lithuania — Oral: “Mixing process in the atmosphere of magnetically active RS CVn giants” (23–26 April 2024)
European Astronomical Society Annual Meeting, Kraków, Poland — Poster: “Mixing process in the atmospheres of RS CVn giants” (10–14 July 2023)
Cambridge Workshop on Cool Stars, Stellar Systems and the Sun, Toulouse, France — Remote poster: “CNO abundances in magnetically active RS CVn giants” (4–9 July 2022)
Presentations at National Conferences
46th Lithuanian National Physics Conference (LNFK’46), Vilnius, Lithuania — Oral: “Lithium and CNO abundances in chromospherically active RS CVn stars” (8–10 October 2025)
45th Lithuanian National Physics Conference (LNFK’45), Vilnius, Lithuania — Poster: “Mixing process in the atmosphere of RS CVn giants” (25–27 October 2023)
Summer Schools, Workshops, and Internships
ChETEC-INFRA Observational School (ChINOS), Ondřejov Observatory, Czech Republic — Remote observing on Nordic Optical Telescope (July 2023)
Pro-Am Workshop, IAU, IIT Bombay, Mumbai, India (December 2023)
Europlanet Summer School: Space Missions, Ground-Based Observations and Science Communication, Lithuania (August 2023)
Milky Way Gaia: Better Inclusion, Better Science, Building Impact in MW-GAIA, Lithuania (July 2023)
NEON Observing School, Observatoire de Haute-Provence, France (October 2022)
Europlanet Telescope Network Science Workshop, Lithuania (February 2022)
Large-Volume Spectroscopic Analyses of AGN and Star-Forming Galaxies in the Era of JWST (March 2022)
Sagan Exoplanet Summer Hybrid Workshop: Exoplanet Science in the Gaia Era (July 2022)
Asteroid Photometry, Molėtai Observatory, Lithuania (August 2021)
Sagan Summer Workshop on Circumstellar Disks and Young Planets (July 2021)
Internship, SSERD, India — Project: Light curves and rotational period of natural satellites (2021)
National Symposium on Recent Developments in Astrophysics & Astronomy, India (July 2021)
Organizing Experience
Local Organizing Committee (LOC), Milky Way Gaia: Better Inclusion, Better Science, Building Impact in MW-GAIA, Vilnius (July 2023)
Organised 10+ events for the Indian embassy in Lithuania, managing over 500+ people.
Awards
Best Master’s Project: “Soil Moisture Sensor Using a Microcontroller” (2017)
Science Fiction Story Writing Competition, Second Prize, The Institute of Science (2017)
Preliminary discovery of five asteroids, International Astronomical Search Collaboration (2020–2021)
Best Student of the Year, MVM School, Mumbai (2010)
Languages
English (native); Lithuanian (A1–A2); German (A1–A2)
Fluent: Hindi, Marathi, Arabic, Urdu, Punjabi, Gujarati
Competitive Exams Cleared
PhD Entrance Test (PET), University of Mumbai (2020)
Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), India (2018)
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE), India (2016)
Certifications
25+ certifications in teaching methodologies, leadership development, inclusive education, gamification, educational content creation, writing, and data analytics
Data-Driven Astronomy, University of Sydney (Coursera) (June 2021)
Data-Driven Astronomy, Positron Foundation, India (August 2021)
Course in Astronomy and Astrophysics (May 2021)
Quantum Mechanics for Scientists and Engineers, Stanford University (Remote) (2018)
About myself
Education
Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vilnius University — Advisor: Dr. Gražina Tautvaišienė; Research topic: Chemical composition of magnetically active RS CVn stars (2021–2025)
B.Ed. (Science, Mathematics, Action Research), HJCE, Mumbai, India (2017–2019)
M.Sc. Physics, The Institute of Science, Mumbai, India — Specialisation: Electronics, Microcontrollers; Programming: C++, C, Python (2015–2017)
B.Sc. Physics, Patkar–Varde College, Mumbai, India — Specialisation: Electronics (2012–2015)
Work Experience
Junior Researcher, Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astronomy, Vilnius University (2023–Present)
Project Specialist — Chemical elements as a clock for stellar age determination (Research Council of Lithuania); The history of C, N, O (DAINA3 – Polish National Science Center and Research Council of Lithuania) (2023–Present)
Teaching Assistant, Numerical Methods course, Light Engineering Bachelor Programme, Faculty of Physics, Vilnius University (2023)
English Teacher, Anglų Kalbų Studija, Lithuania (2022)
Physics and Mathematics Teacher, Arya Vidya Mandir, Mumbai, India (2019–2021)
Teacher (Physics, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry), various institutes and coaching centres, Mumbai, India (2012–2019)