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Astrophysicist, Data Scientist/Analyst, Scientific writer (10+) of experience. Medical imaging (Deep Learning).
Profile Summary
Subject Matter Expertise
Services
Writing
Technical Writing
Work Experience
Postdoc
Universiteit Leiden
February 2021 - Present 
Postdoc
Københavns Universitet Niels Bohr Instituttet
September 2018 - January 2021
Postdoc
University of St Andrews
September 2017 - August 2018
Postdoc
Universidade do Vale do Paraiba
September 2015 - August 2017
Education
Dr. (Physics and Astronomy)
Universidade do Vale do Paraíba
September 2015 - August 2017
MSc in Physics and Applied mathematics (Instituto de Ciências Exatas)
Universidade Federal de Itajubá Instituto de Física e Química
2010 - 2012
B.S. (Physics)
CEFET
February 2007 - January 2010
Certifications
Publications
JOURNAL ARTICLE
M. K. McClure, Merel van’t Hoff, Logan Francis, Edwin Bergin, Will R. M. Rocha, J. A. Sturm, Daniel Harsono, Ewine F. van Dishoeck, John H. Black, J. A. Noble, et al. (2025). Refractory solid condensation detected in an embedded protoplanetary disk . Nature.
Himanshu Tyagi, P. Manoj, Mayank Narang, S. Thomas Megeath, Will R. M. Rocha, Nashanty Brunken, Adam E. Rubinstein, Robert Gutermuth, Neal J. Evans, II, Ewine F. Van Dishoeck, et al. (2025). JWST-IPA: Chemical Inventory and Spatial Mapping of Ices in the Protostar HOPS 370—Evidence for an Opacity Hole and Thermal Processing of Ices . The Astrophysical Journal.
W. R. M. Rocha, M. K. McClure, J. A. Sturm, T. L. Beck, Z. L. Smith, H. Dickinson, F. Sun, E. Egami, A. C. A. Boogert, H. J. Fraser, et al. (2025). Ice inventory towards the protostar Ced 110 IRS4 observed with the James Webb Space Telescope . Astronomy & Astrophysics.
N. G. C. Brunken, E. F. van Dishoeck, K. Slavicinska, V. J. M. le Gouellec, W. R. M. Rocha, L. Francis, L. Tychoniec, M. L. van Gelder, M. G. Navarro, A. C. A. Boogert, et al. (2024). JOYS+ study of solid-state 12C/13C isotope ratios in protostellar envelopes . Astronomy & Astrophysics.
Y. Chen, W. R. M. Rocha, E. F. van Dishoeck, M. L. van Gelder, P. Nazari, K. Slavicinska, L. Francis, B. Tabone, M. E. Ressler, P. D. Klaassen, et al. (2024). JOYS+: The link between the ice and gas of complex organic molecules . Astronomy & Astrophysics.
Katerina Slavicinska, Ewine van Dishoeck, Łukasz Tychoniec, Pooneh Nazari, Adam Ezra Rubinstein, Robert Gutermuth, Himanshu Tyagi, Y. Chen, N. Brunken, Will R. M. Rocha, et al. (2024). JWST detections of amorphous and crystalline HDO ice toward massive protostars . Astronomy & Astrophysics.
P. Nazari, W. R. M. Rocha, A. E. Rubinstein, K. Slavicinska, M. G. Rachid, E. F. van Dishoeck, S. T. Megeath, R. Gutermuth, H. Tyagi, N. Brunken, et al. (2024). Hunting for complex cyanides in protostellar ices with the JWST . Astronomy & Astrophysics.
Nashanty G. C. Brunken, Will R. M. Rocha, Ewine F. van Dishoeck, Robert Gutermuth, Himanshu Tyagi, Katerina Slavicinska, Pooneh Nazari, S. Thomas Megeath, Neal J. Evans II, Mayank Narang, et al. (2024). JWST observations of 13CO2 ice . Astronomy & Astrophysics.
W. R. M. Rocha, E. F. van Dishoeck, M. E. Ressler, M. L. van Gelder, K. Slavicinska, N. G. C. Brunken, H. Linnartz, T. P. Ray, H. Beuther, A. Caratti o Garatti, et al. (2024). JWST Observations of Young protoStars (JOYS+): Detecting icy complex organic molecules and ions . Astronomy & Astrophysics.
W. R. M. Rocha, M. G. Rachid, M. K. McClure, J. He, H. Linnartz (2024). Water ice: Temperature-dependent refractive indexes and their astrophysical implications . Astronomy & Astrophysics.
E. Kosmaczewski, Ł Stawarz, C. C. Cheung, A. Bamba, A. Karska, W. R. M. Rocha (2023). Multiwavelength Study of Dark Globule DC 314.8–5.1: Point-source Identification and Diffuse Emission Characterization . The Astrophysical Journal.
Sturm, J. A., McClure, M. K., Beck, T. L., Harsono, D., Bergner, J. B., Dartois, E., Boogert, A. C. A., Chiar, J. E., Cordiner, M. A., Drozdovskaya, M. N., et al. (2023). A JWST inventory of protoplanetary disk ices. The edge-on protoplanetary disk HH 48 NE, seen with the Ice Age ERS program . Astronomy and Astrophysics.
Ardjan Sturm, M. K. McClure, T. L. Beck, D. Harsono, J. B. Bergner, E. Dartois, A. C. A. Boogert, J. E. Chiar, M. A. Cordiner, M. N. Drozdovskaya, et al. (2023). A JWST inventory of protoplanetary disk ices . Astronomy & Astrophysics.
Gieser, C., Beuther, H., van Dishoeck, E. F., Francis, L., van Gelder, M. L., Tychoniec, L., Kavanagh, P. J., Perotti, G., Caratti o Garatti, A., Ray, T. P., et al. (2023). JOYS: Disentangling the warm and cold material in the high-mass IRAS 23385+6053 cluster . Astronomy and Astrophysics.
G. Perotti, J. K. Jørgensen, W. R. M. Rocha, A. Plunkett, E. Artur de la Villarmois, L. E. Kristensen, M. Sewiło, P. Bjerkeli, H. J. Fraser, S. B. Charnley (2023). Linking ice and gas in the Coronet cluster in Corona Australis . Astronomy & Astrophysics.
Sturm, J. A., McClure, M. K., Law, C. J., Harsono, D., Bergner, J. B., Dartois, E., Drozdovskaya, M. N., Ioppolo, S., Öberg, K. I., Palumbo, M. E., et al. (2023). The edge-on protoplanetary disk HH 48 NE. I. Modeling the geometry and stellar parameters . Astronomy and Astrophysics.
Sturm, J. A., McClure, M. K., Bergner, J. B., Harsono, D., Dartois, E., Drozdovskaya, M. N., Ioppolo, S., Öberg, K. I., Law, C. J., Palumbo, M. E., et al. (2023). The edge-on protoplanetary disk HH 48 NE. II. Modeling ices and silicates . Astronomy and Astrophysics.
K. Slavicinska, M. G. Rachid, W. R. M. Rocha, K.-J. Chuang, E. F. van Dishoeck, H. Linnartz (2023). The hunt for formamide in interstellar ices . Astronomy & Astrophysics.
Dominika Itrich, Agata Karska, Marta Sewiło, Lars E. Kristensen, Gregory J. Herczeg, Suzanne Ramsay, William J. Fischer, Benoît Tabone, Will R. M. Rocha, Maciej Koprowski, et al. (2023). Investigating the Impact of Metallicity on Star Formation in the Outer Galaxy. I. VLT/KMOS Survey of Young Stellar Objects in Canis Major . The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series.
J. A. Sturm, M. K. McClure, J. B. Bergner, D. Harsono, E. Dartois, M. N. Drozdovskaya, S. Ioppolo, K. I. Öberg, C. J. Law, M. E. Palumbo, et al.(2023). The edge-on protoplanetary disk HH 48 NE . Astronomy & Astrophysics. 677. p. A18. {EDP} Sciences
J. A. Sturm, M. K. McClure, C. J. Law, D. Harsono, J. B. Bergner, E. Dartois, M. N. Drozdovskaya, S. Ioppolo, K. I. Öberg, M. E. Palumbo, et al.(2023). The edge-on protoplanetary disk HH 48 NE . Astronomy & Astrophysics. 677. p. A17. {EDP} Sciences
Sergio Pilling, Will R.M. Rocha, Geanderson A. Carvalho, Heitor A. de Abreu(2023). Mapping the evolution of pure CO2 ices irradiated by ions, UV, and electrons using the upgraded PROCODA code (employing an effective rate constant ordering by thermochemistry data) . Advances in Space Research. 71. (12). p. 5466--5492. Elsevier {BV}
Pilling, Sergio, Rocha, Will R. M., Carvalho, Geanderson A., de Abreu, Heitor A. (2023). Mapping the evolution of pure CO<SUB>2</SUB> ices irradiated by ions, UV, and electrons using the upgraded PROCODA code (employing an effective rate constant ordering by thermochemistry data) . Advances in Space Research.
H. Beuther, E. F. van Dishoeck, L. Tychoniec, C. Gieser, P. J. Kavanagh, G. Perotti, M. L. van Gelder, P. Klaassen, A. Caratti o Garatti, L. Francis, et al.(2023). JWST Observations of Young protoStars (JOYS) . Astronomy & Astrophysics. 673. p. A121. {EDP} Sciences
W. R. M. Rocha, P. Woitke, S. Pilling, W.-F. Thi, J. K. Jørgensen, L. E. Kristensen, G. Perotti, I. Kamp (2023). Simulation of CH3OH ice UV photolysis under laboratory conditions . Astronomy & Astrophysics.
Beuther, H., van Dishoeck, E. F., Tychoniec, L., Gieser, C., Kavanagh, P. J., Perotti, G., van Gelder, M. L., Klaassen, P., Caratti o Garatti, A., Francis, L., et al. (2023). JWST Observations of Young protoStars (JOYS). Outflows and accretion in the high-mass star-forming region IRAS 23385+6053 . Astronomy and Astrophysics.
M. K. McClure, W. R. M. Rocha, K. M. Pontoppidan, N. Crouzet, L. E. U. Chu, E. Dartois, T. Lamberts, J. A. Noble, Y. J. Pendleton, G. Perotti, et al. (2023). An Ice Age JWST inventory of dense molecular cloud ices . Nature Astronomy.
LIDA: The Leiden Ice Database for Astrochemistry <head>
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Infrared spectra of complex organic molecules in astronomically relevant ice mixtures <head>
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</head> . Astronomy & Astrophysics.
E. Kosmaczewski, Ł. Stawarz, W. R. M. Rocha, S. S. Shenoy, A. Karska (2022). Spectroscopic Diagnostics of the Mid-infrared Features of the Dark Globule DC 314.8–5.1 with the Spitzer Space Telescope . The Astrophysical Journal.
M.L. Dubernet, G.B. Berriman, C. Boersma, C. Jäger, M. Rengel, W. R. M. Rocha, F. Salama, C.M. Zwölf (2022). Laboratory Astrophysics Data Working Group IAU 2022 GA session . Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union.
W. R. M. Rocha, M. G. Rachid, B. Olsthoorn, E. F. van Dishoeck, M. K. McClure, K. Slavicinska, H. Linnartz (2022). SPECFY - an important tool of the Leiden Ice Database for Astrochemistry in the era of the James Webb Space Telescope . Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union.
Sergio Pilling, Geanderson A. Carvalho, Will R. M. Rocha (2022). Chemical Evolution of CO2 Ices under Processing by Ionizing Radiation: Characterization of Nonobserved Species and Chemical Equilibrium Phase with the Employment of PROCODA Code . The Astrophysical Journal.
Jiao He, Sharon J. M. Diamant, Siyu Wang, Haochuan Yu, Will R. M. Rocha, Marina Rachid, Harold Linnartz (2022). Refractive Index and Extinction Coefficient of Vapor-deposited Water Ice in the UV–vis Range . The Astrophysical Journal.
Kamp, I., Honda, M., Nomura, H., Audard, M., Fedele, D., Waters, L. B. F. M., Aikawa, Y., Banzatti, A., Bowey, J. E., Bradford, M., et al. (2021). The formation of planetary systems with SPICA . Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia.
W. R. M. Rocha, G. Perotti, L. E. Kristensen, J. K. Jørgensen(2021). Fitting infrared ice spectra with genetic modelling algorithms . Astronomy & Astrophysics. {EDP} Sciences
G. Perotti, J. K. Jørgensen, H. J. Fraser, A. N. Suutarinen, L. E. Kristensen, W. R. M. Rocha, P. Bjerkeli, K. M. Pontoppidan(2021). Linking ice and gas in the λ Orionis Barnard 35A cloud . Astronomy & Astrophysics. {EDP} Sciences
G. Perotti, W. R. M. Rocha, J. K. Jørgensen, L. E. Kristensen, H. J. Fraser, K. M. Pontoppidan(2020). Linking ice and gas in the Serpens low-mass star-forming region . Astronomy & Astrophysics. {EDP} Sciences
W. R. M. Rocha, S. Pilling (2020). Tracking the Evolutionary Stage of Protostars through the Abundances of Astrophysical Ices . The Astrophysical Journal.
Processing of 72-K water-rich ices by keV and MeV oxygen ions: implications for the Saturnian moon Enceladus @article{2020,
doi = {10.1093/mnras/staa778},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fmnras%2Fstaa778},
year = 2020,
publisher = {Oxford University Press ({OUP})},
title = {{OUP} accepted manuscript},
journal = {Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}
} . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
W.R.M. Rocha, S. Pilling, A. Domaracka, H. Rothard, P. Boduch(2020). Infrared complex refractive index of N-containing astrophysical ices free of water processed by cosmic-ray simulated in laboratory . Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy. 228. p. 117826. Elsevier {BV}
Pilling, S. and Rocha, W. R. M. and Freitas, F. M. and da Silva, P. A.(2019). Photochemistry and desorption induced by X-rays in water rich astrophysical ice analogs: implications for the moon Enceladus and other frozen space environments . RSC Advances. 9. p. 28823-28840. The Royal Society of Chemistry
Rocha, W. R. M., Pilling, S. (2018). The role of external far-ultraviolet irradiation in the survival of astrophysical ices in Elias 29 . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
W R M Rocha, S Pilling(2018). The role of external far-ultraviolet irradiation in the survival of astrophysical ices in Elias 29 . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 478. (4). p. 5190--5198. Oxford University Press ({OUP})
Fredson de A. Vasconcelos, Sergio Pilling, Will R. M. Rocha, Hermann Rothard, Philippe Boduch (2017). Energetic Processing of N2:CH4 Ices Employing X-Rays and Swift Ions: Implications for Icy Bodies in the Outer Solar System . The Astrophysical Journal.
Vasconcelos, F. A. and Pilling, S. and Rocha, W. R. M. and Rothard, H. and Boduch, P.(2017). Radiolysis of N2-rich astrophysical ice by swift oxygen ions: implication for space weathering of outer solar system bodies . Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. 19. p. 24154-24165. The Royal Society of Chemistry
Vasconcelos, F. A. and Pilling, S. and Rocha, W. R. M. and Rothard, H. and Boduch, P. and Ding, J. J.(2017). Ion irradiation of pure and amorphous CH4 ice relevant for astrophysical environments . Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. 19. p. 12845-12856. The Royal Society of Chemistry
W. R. M. Rocha, S. Pilling, A. L. F. de Barros, D. P. P. Andrade, H. Rothard, P. Boduch(2016). Infrared complex refractive index of astrophysical ices exposed to cosmic rays simulated in the laboratory . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 464. (1). p. 754--767. Oxford University Press ({OUP})
Jean-Baptiste Bossa, Belén Maté, Coen Fransen, Stéphanie Cazaux, Sergio Pilling, Will Robson Monteiro Rocha, Juan Ortigoso, Harold Linnartz(2015). POROSITY AND BAND-STRENGTH MEASUREMENTS OF MULTI-PHASE COMPOSITE ICES . The Astrophysical Journal. 814. (1). p. 47. {IOP} Publishing
Bossa, J.-B., Maté, B., Fransen, C., Cazaux, S., Pilling, S., Rocha, W.R.M., Ortigoso, J., Linnartz, H.(2015). Porosity and band-strength measurements of multi-phase composite ices . Astrophysical Journal. 814. (1).
Pilling, S., Bergantini, A., Vasconcelos, F.A., Rocha, W.R.M.(2015). Triggering photochemical processes in frozen extraterrestrial worlds by soft X-rays . Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 635. (11).
Rocha, W.R.M., Pilling, S.(2015). Computational modeling of the class i low-mass protostar elias 29 applying optical constants of ices processed by high energy cosmic ray analogs . Astrophysical Journal. 803. (1). p. 1-16.
Rocha, W.R.M., Pilling, S.(2014). Determination of optical constants n and k of thin films from absorbance data using Kramers-Kronig relationship . Spectrochimica Acta - Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy. 123. p. 436-446.
WORKING PAPER
Francis, L., van Gelder, M. L., van Dishoeck, E. F., Gieser, C., Beuther, H., Tychoniec, L., Perotti, G., Garatti, A. Caratti o, Kavanagh, P. J., Ray, T., et al. (2024). JOYS: MIRI/MRS spectroscopy of gas-phase molecules from the high-mass star-forming region IRAS 23385+6053 . arXiv e-prints.
Nazari, P., Rocha, W. R. M., Rubinstein, A. E., Slavicinska, K., Rachid, M. G., van Dishoeck, E. F., Megeath, S. T., Gutermuth, R., Tyagi, H., Brunken, N., et al. (2024). Hunt for complex cyanides in protostellar ices with JWST: Tentative detection of CH$_3$CN and C$_2$H$_5$CN . arXiv e-prints.
Rocha, W. R. M., van Dishoeck, E. F., Ressler, M. E., van Gelder, M. L., Slavicinska, K., Brunken, N. G. C., Linnartz, H., Ray, T. P., Beuther, H., Garatti, A. Caratti o, et al. (2023). JWST Observations of Young protoStars (JOYS+): Detection of icy complex organic molecules and ions. I. CH$_4$, SO$_2$, HCOO$^-$, OCN$^-$, H$_2$CO, HCOOH, CH$_3$CH$_2$OH, CH$_3$CHO, CH$_3$OCHO, CH$_3$COOH . arXiv e-prints.
van Gelder, M. L., Ressler, M. E., van Dishoeck, E. F., Nazari, P., Tabone, B., Black, J. H., Tychoniec, Ł., Francis, L., Barsony, M., Beuther, H., et al. (2023). JOYS+: mid-infrared detection of gas-phase SO$_2$ emission in a low-mass protostar. The case of NGC 1333 IRAS2A: hot core or accretion shock? . arXiv e-prints.
Narang, Mayank, Manoj, P., Tyagi, Himanshu, Watson, Dan M., Megeath, S. Thomas, Federman, Samuel, Rubinstein, Adam E., Gutermuth, Robert, Garatti, Alessio Caratti o, Beuther, Henrik, et al. (2023). Investigating Protostellar Accretion across the mass spectrum with the JWST: discovery of a collimated jet from the low luminosity protostar IRAS 16253-2429 in a quiescent accretion phase . arXiv e-prints.
Federman, Samuel, Megeath, S. Thomas, Rubinstein, Adam E., Gutermuth, Robert, Narang, Mayank, Tyagi, Himanshu, Manoj, P., Anglada, Guillem, Atnagulov, Prabhani, Beuther, Henrik, et al. (2023). Investigating Protostellar Accretion-Driven Outflows Across the Mass Spectrum: JWST NIRSpec IFU 3-5~$\mu$m Spectral Mapping of Five Young Protostars . arXiv e-prints.
Rocha, W. R. M., Rachid, M. G., McClure, M. K., He, J., Linnartz, H. (2023). Water ice: temperature-dependent refractive indexes and their astrophysical implications . arXiv e-prints.
Rocha, W. R. M., Rachid, M. G., McClure, M. K., He, J., Linnartz, H. (2023). Water ice: temperature-dependent refractive indexes and their astrophysical implications . arXiv e-prints.
CONFERENCE ABSTRACT
Rocha, Will, Rachid, Marina, Olsthoorn, Bart, van Dishoeck, Ewine, McClure, Melissa, Linnartz, Harold (2023). LIDA - the Leiden Ice Database for Astrochemistry. American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts.
Perotti, G., Rocha, W. R. M., Jørgensen, J. K., Kristensen, L. E., Fraser, H. J. (2020). Same, but different: the link between methanol gas and ice. American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #235.
OTHER
Rocha, Will, Sewilo, Marta, Allen, Veronica Amber, Charnley, Steven B., Chen, Rosie, Hamedani Golshan, Roya, Indebetouw, Remy, Jin, Mi wha, Oliveira, Joana M., Qasim, Danna Nedal, et al. (2023). Ice observations toward massive protostars in the low-metallicity Large Magellanic Cloud. JWST Proposal. Cycle 2.
Rocha, Will, Jorgensen, Jes, Karska, Agata, Kristensen, Lars E., Perotti, Giulia (2021). Ice chemical complexity toward the Ophiuchus molecular cloud. JWST Proposal. Cycle 1.
Rocha, Will, McClure, Melissa, Bergin, Edwin Anthony, Boogert, Abraham C., Caselli, Paola, Cordiner, Martin A., Cuppen, Herma, Drozdovskaya, Maria Nikolayevna, Fraser, Helen Jane, Harsono, Daniel, et al. (2021). It's COMplicated: Disentangling the formation pathways of complex organic molecules from molecular clouds to comets. JWST Proposal. Cycle 1.
DATA SET
Beuther, H., van Dishoeck, E. F., Tychoniec, L., Gieser, C., Kavanagh, P. J., Perotti, G., Gelder, M. L. Van, Klaassen, P., Caratti, O. Garatti A., Francis, L., et al. (2023). VizieR Online Data Catalog: IRAS 23385+6053 JWST observations (Beuther+, 2023) . VizieR Online Data Catalog.
Perotti, G., Rocha, W. R. M., Jorgensen, J. K., Kristensen, L. E., Fraser, H. J., Pontoppidan, K. M. (2020). VizieR Online Data Catalog: Linking ice and gas. Serpens SVS4 (Perotti+, 2020) . VizieR Online Data Catalog.
PREPRINT
W. R. M. Rocha, E. F. van Dishoeck, M. E. Ressler, M. L. van Gelder, K. Slavicinska, N. G. C. Brunken, H. Linnartz, T. P. Ray, H. Beuther, A. Caratti o Garatti, et al.(2023). JWST Observations of Young protoStars (JOYS+): Detection of icy complex organic molecules and ions. I. CH$_4$, SO$_2$, HCOO$^-$, OCN$^-$, H$_2$CO, HCOOH, CH$_3$CH$_2$OH, CH$_3$CHO, CH$_3$OCHO, CH$_3$COOH . Astronomy & Astrophysics. arXiv
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