PhD Student · Penn State

Estuti Shukla
Gravitational Physics & Deep Learning

Bridging numerical relativity and deep learning to decode the universe's most extreme events — producing high-fidelity gravitational waveforms from large-scale simulations of black hole mergers and neutron star collisions, and leveraging neural networks to model, interpret, and accelerate the science of gravitational-wave modelling.

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01 — About

A bit about me

I am a PhD student in the Department of Physics at Penn State University, working with the Numerical Relativity group (NumRel@PSU) under the supervision of Dr. David Radice. My research sits at the intersection of gravitational physics, numerical relativity, and deep learning.

I study some of the most extreme phenomena in the universe — from the nonlinear dynamics of black hole mergers to the physics of ringdown. I use large-scale numerical simulations to probe the fundamental nature of gravity in the strong-field regime. My work also entails exploring applications of deep learning in gravitational-wave modelling.

Before Penn State, I completed my BS-MS dual degree in Physics from IISER Kolkata (2021) and spent time as a visiting researcher at ICTS-TIFR, Bengaluru, working on dynamical horizons of black holes under Dr. Prayush Kumar.

Estuti Shukla
02 — Research

What I work on

Deep Learning & General Relativity

Using neural networks to learn diffeomorphism between equivalent spacetime metrics — developing a novel technique to apply machine learning for comparison of spacetime metric from various numerical relativity simulations.

Black Hole Ringdown

Investigating nonlinear effects in the ringdown phase of gravitational waveforms from black hole mergers — signatures critical for precision gravitational-wave astronomy.

Dynamical Horizons & Black Hole Physics

Characterizing how black hole boundaries evolve during highly dynamic spacetime events like binary coalescence through numerical relativity simulations.

03 — Publications

Selected Publications

2026

Spin the Black Circle II: Tidal Heating and Torquing of a Rotating Black Hole by a Test Mass on Generic Orbits

R. Gamba, D. Chiaramello, E. Shukla, S. Albanesi

arXiv: 2603.28982
2026

GR-Athena++ Simulations of Spinning Binary Black Hole Mergers

E. Shukla, A. Rashti, R. Gamba, D. Radice, K. Chandra

Classical and Quantum Gravity 43, 065019 (2026)

arXiv: 2510.13963 Journal
2025

Connecting GRBs from Binary Neutron Star Mergers to Nuclear Properties of Neutron Stars

R. Perna, O. Gottlieb, E. Shukla, D. Radice

Physical Review D 111, 063015 (2025)

arXiv: 2412.07846 Journal
2023

Nonlinear Effects in Black Hole Ringdown

M.H.-Y. Cheung, V. Baibhav, E. Berti, V. Cardoso, G. Carullo, R. Cotesta, W. Del Pozzo, F. Duque, T. Helfer, E. Shukla, K.W.K. Wong

Physical Review Letters 130, 081401 (2023)

arXiv: 2208.07374 Journal

Full list on INSPIRE-HEP. Also see NASA ADS or arXiv.

04 — Curriculum Vitae

Education & Experience

2022 — Present

PhD in Physics

Penn State University · Department of Physics
Numerical relativity and gravitational-wave physics with NumRel@PSU (advisor Dr. David Radice).
2021 — 2022

Visiting Student Researcher

ICTS-TIFR, Bengaluru
Studied dynamical horizons of spinning binary black holes using SpEC, supervised by Dr. Prayush Kumar.
2016 — 2021

BS-MS Dual Degree in Physics

IISER Kolkata
Integrated five-year program with thesis research in cosmology.
Download Full CV
05 — Blog

Thoughts & notes

Grad Life

Learning to Review

Reflections on learning the art of peer review as a graduate student — what surprised me, what I got wrong, and what I wish I knew earlier.

April 2026
06 — Contact

Get in touch

Happy to chat about gravitational-wave physics, numerical relativity, potential collaborations, or anything else.

estuti@psu.edu @e__shukla GitHub Google Scholar

Office

Whitmore Lab

Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos

Department of Physics

Penn State University

University Park, PA 16802