Spiral Dance of Black Holes

Gravitational waves

Gravitational waves are a fascinating consequence of ...
Spiral Dance of Black Holes
Image: LIGO-Virgo

Gravitational waves are one of the fascinating predictions of Einstein's general theory of relativity: ripples in the fabric of spacetime caused by extreme events such as black holes and neutron star collisions. Observing gravitational waves is a scientific and technological endeavor that helps scientists understand some of the most energetic phenomena in the universe. Among the many open questions in both astrophysics and fundamental, we study how black holes form and what mass they have, the nature of high-density matter in neutron stars, and where and how heavy elements form in the Universe.

In our research we develop and apply theoretical methods to interpret the observations: we use analytical and numerical methods to model the waves and to link such predictions of general relativity to the analysis of the observed data. We are part of the LIGO-Virgo Collaboration and the LISA Consortium and work within a lively, international and interdisciplinary community.

Group

  • Prof. Dr. Sebastiano Bernuzzi
    S. Bernuzzi
    S. Bernuzzi
    Image: S. Bernuzzi

    Short CV

    • 2009 PhD in Theoretical physics, Universität Parma, Italy
    • 2009-2014 Postdoc at the TPI
    • 2014-2015 Senior Postdoc at Caltech
    • 2014-2017: Rita Levi Montalcini fellow, Universität Parma, Italy
    • 2017: Habilitation
    • 2017-2018 Associate Professor, Universität Parma, Italy
    • 2017-2022 ERC-StG fellow
    • Since 2018 Professor at the TPI
    • 2023-2028 ERC CoG fellow

     

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  • Dr. Simone Albanesi
  • Dr. Willam Gregory Cook

    Short CV

    • 2010 - 2014: M.Sc., University of Cambridge
    • 2014 - 2018: PhD, DAMTP, University of Cambridge
    • 2018 - 2020: Simons Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, Gravity Initiative Fellow, Princeton University
    • Since 2020: Postdoctoral Researcher, TPI
  • Dr. Boris Daszuta

    Short CV

    • 2014 - 2018: PhD in Mathematics at University of Otago (New Zealand)
      Thesis title: "Numerical scalar curvature deformation and a gluing construction"
    • Since 2019: Postdoc at the TPI
  • Dr. Maximilian Jacobi
  • Dr. Luis Longo
  • Joan Fontbuté
  • Alejandra Renee Pillado Gonzalez
    A. Gonzalez
    A. Gonzalez
    Image: A. Gonzalez

    Short CV

    • 2012-2017: B.Sc. in Physics, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Mexico
    • 2015-2016: Academic exchange program DAAD, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany
    • 2019-2021: M.Sc. in Physics, FSU Jena
    • Since 2021: Scientific staff member at the TPI, Germany
  • Giulia Huez
  • Fabio Magistrelli

Former members and students

  • Dr. Sarp Akcay

    Short CV

    • 2009 Ph. D. University of Texas at Austin, USA
    • 2009 - 2013: Postdoc at University of Southampton, UK.
    • 2012 - 2013: Visiting Scientist at Institut des Hautes Etudes Scientific in Paris, France.
    • 2013 - 2014: Postdoc at University of Southampton, UK.
    • 2014 - 2016: Irish Research Council Postdoc at University College Dublin, Ireland.
    • 2016 - 2018: Lecturer at University College Dublin, Ireland.
    • 2018 - 2020: Postdoc at FSU Jena, Germany.
    • Since 2020: Assistant Professor at University College Dublin, Ireland.
  • Dr. Michalis Agathos

    Short CV

    • 2011 - 2016: PhD in Gravitational Wave Physics, Nikhef - VU Amsterdam
    • 2016 - 2018: Rubicon Postdoctoral Research Fellow, DAMTP - University of Cambridge
    • 2018 - 2019: Senior Postdoctoral Researcher, TPI - FSU Jena
    • Since 2019: Senior Kavli Fellow, DAMTP/KICC - University of Cambridge
  • Dr. Ssohrab Borhanian
  • Dr. Matteo Breschi

    Short CV

    • 2011 - 2016 : Bachelor degree in Physics, University of Pisa, Italy
    • 2016 - 2018 : M.Sc. in Theoretical Physics, University of Pisa, Italy
    • 2018 : INFN-LIGO Exhange Summer School, Rochester Institute of Technology, USA
    • Since 2018:Scientific staff member at the TPI Jena, Germany
  • Dr. Gregorio Carullo
  • Dr. Georgios Doulis

    Short CV

    • 2005: Undergraduate studies in Physics: University of Athens, Greece.
    • 2008: M.Sc. in Nuclear Physics & Elementary Particles: University of Athens, Greece.
    • 2013: Ph.D in Applied Mathematics: University of Otago, New Zealand.
    • 2013 - 2016: Postdoc, Albert Einstein Institute, Potsdam, Germany.
    • 2018 - 2020: Postdoc, University of Warsaw, Poland.
    • Since 2020: Postdoctoral Researcher, TPI
  • Dr. Andrea Endrizzi

    Short CV

    • 2014: M.Sc. in Theoretical and Computational Physics, University of Trento, Italy
    • 2018: PhD in Computational Atrophysics, University of Trento, Italy
    • 2018 - 2020: Postdoc at the TPI
  • Dr. Rossella Gamba
  • Dr. Vsevolod Nedora

    Inhalt

  • Dr. Nestor Ortiz

    Short CV

    • 2010 - 2014: PhD student in Theoretical Physics. Morelia, Mexico.
    • 2014 - 2018: Postdoc at the Perimeter Institute, Canada.
    • 2018 - 2019: Scientific staff member at the TPI.
    • Since 2019: Junior Professor at UNAM, Mexico.
  • Dr. Francesco Zappa