I'm interested in computational astrophysics broadly — understanding complex astrophysical systems through large-scale parallel multiphysics simulations; carefully examining microphysics both for its own sake and so that it can be included quantitatively in larger-scale models; and developing and analyzing computational techniques for use in astrophysical simulations.

I study interfacial instabilities, buoyant flows, and combustion problems with applications to Type Ia supernovae, which are interesting in themselves and very important for quantitative cosmology; bubbles and magnetic draping in galaxy clusters; and fragmentation and wind-interactions in disks. I have also recently worked on the physics of mixing and enrichment in novae, detonations, galaxy formation, and efficient and accurate numerical techniques for studying these phenomenon.

You can look at my CV or download it in PDF. A description of some of my present research directions is also available, as is my publication list, as well.

This summer, with Jonathan Sievers, I taught a week-long summer school at SciNet on Parallel Scientific Programming; we had taught a similar course for astrophysicists at CITA the previous year. We have also taught a Department of Astronomy mini-course entitled Scientific Computing for Astro Grad Students. In winter 2008, I taught AST222, “Galaxies and Cosmology”, and I have been invited to teach it again. I also recently had the opportunity to teach a course entitled The Search for Life in the Universe at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. It covered a lot of material — astronomy, planetary science, chemistry, biology — and was a lot of fun. You can find a description of my approach to teaching online or as a PDF.

The UChicago Chronicle has a nice article about when we won a Gordon Bell Award with a very large simulation with the FLASH code (a code I was/am a developer for). Some other clippings are available at my press page.