Faculty

Biographical Info

My research interests are centered around gravitational dynamics, which connects the Universe across a wide range of spatial scales and timescales. The dynamical evolution of planetary systems, for example, can depend on gravitational interactions between planets and close encounters with passing stars. Star cluster evolution is strongly affected by both the interactions between cluster stars and the external gravitational field of the cluster’s host galaxy. Hence the evolution of planetary systems and star clusters are linked to the properties of the galaxy in which they reside, which will be made up of multiple components like a bar, spiral arms, giant molecular clouds, stellar streams, dark matter substructure, and satellite galaxies.  Understanding how all of these systems are interconnected and being able to use them to study each other is the overarching goal of my work.