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About

Tayyaba Zafar is an astronomer and instrumentation specialist whose work centers on developing cutting-edge technologies for next-generation ground-based telescopes. Her primary research areas include multi-object spectroscopy, fiber-fed positioning systems, and the design of instruments for extremely large telescopes. Zafar’s major contributions lie in the conceptual design and development of MANIFEST, a revolutionary multi-object fiber positioner for the 24.5-meter Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT). MANIFEST employs innovative “Starbug” robots to precisely position fiber units across the telescope’s focal plane, dramatically expanding its observational capabilities. This system will enable GMT to simultaneously observe hundreds of celestial objects, coupling with instruments like the G-CLEF high-resolution spectrograph and GMACS for low-to-mid resolution spectroscopy. Her work on the MANIFEST pre-concept design (2020) and subsequent enhancements (2024) has been instrumental in defining how GMT will achieve its full scientific potential, offering access to larger fields of view and unprecedented multiplexing capabilities. While her citation counts are currently modest, reflecting the pre-commissioning phase of this ambitious project, Zafar’s contributions are foundational to one of astronomy’s most anticipated facilities, positioning her as a key figure in the future of ground-based observational astronomy.