NEWS

We are thrilled that Dr. Alekzander Kosakowski has joined our group as a postdoctoral research associate. Alekzander is an observational astronomer specializing in studies of merging white dwarf binaries as gravitational wave sources and progenitors to stably accreting binaries, massive single white dwarfs, and supernovae. He uses data from large ground-based telescopes to characterize binaries … Read more

Come work with us as a postdoc in our new research group! Click this link to apply. A complete job description follows. Employee Type:  Postdoc Position Summary / Primary Purpose of Position:   The Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill invites applications for a postdoctoral research scholar to … Read more

The NC Space Grant Consortium awarded our research group a one-year grant to search for new spider binaries. Spider binaries are a class of compact binaries that typically consist of a pulsar (a highly magnetized, rotating neutron star) and a low-mass companion. The intense, high-energy radiation and wind from the neutron star slowly heats up … Read more

Congratulations to Zack Hutchens on the successful defense of his Ph.D. thesis “Multiphase Gas in Galaxy Groups in RESOLVE, ECO, and LADUMA” at UNC Chapel Hill! Zack was a member of my undergraduate research group at High Point University and worked on several interesting projects, including the dying pulsations of the sdBV star CS 1246. … Read more

Hot subdwarfs in close binaries observed from space III: Reflection effect asymmetry from relativistic beamingBarlow, B.N., Parker, I.*, Smith, B.A.*, Kupfer, T., Schaffenroth, V. 2023, Astronomy & Astrophysics, 686, A126. Abstract: Detailed studies of hot subdwarf B (sdB) stars with red dwarf (dM) or brown dwarf (BD) companions can shed light on the effects of binarity … Read more

Our research group is hosting the 12th International Conference on Hot Subdwarfs and Related Objects in May 2025! sdOB12 is the 12th edition of a series of biennial conferences started in 2003. These meetings provide experts from around the world the opportunity to discuss results and thoughts on hot subdwarf stars and other related objects. … Read more

Congratulations to Dr. Emily Boudreaux on the successful defense of their PhD thesis “Models of Low Mass Stars as Physical Laboratories” at Dartmouth College! Emily was an incredibly productive member of my undergraduate research group at High Point University from 2015-2019 and actually started doing research with me while still in high school (see a … Read more

Congratulations to undergraduate research student Bennett Kirby (second-year student @ High Point U.) for receiving the HPU Department of Physics Outstanding Researcher Award! Bennett began doing research his first week of college, analyzing TESS light curves of compact hot subdwarf + white dwarf binaries. He learned how to write Python scripts to download the light … Read more

Best. Intern. Ever. Big thanks to Fabian Mattig for coming over to North Carolina all the way from Potsdam, Germany, to work with my research group at High Point University for the past six months! Since his first day in the U.S, I’ve been impressed with his enthusiasm for science and work ethic. He’s gathered … Read more

SO proud of this guy. Congrats to Dr. Alan Vasquez Soto for successfully defending his PhD dissertation at UNC Chapel Hill! Alan was one of my first undergraduate research students ever at High Point University. We worked on some interesting projects over the years and went on two productive trips down to Cerro Tololo in … Read more