The Syracuse University Center for Gravitational Wave Astronomy and Astrophysics would not be what it is without all of the people who are a part of it!
FACULTY
![Stefan Ballmer Center Director Syracuse University Center for Gravitational Wave Astronomy and Astrophysics](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Stefan-Ballmer-Minnowbrrok-photo_edited.jpg)
Professor and Center Director
sballmer@syr.edu
Research Interests: Cosmic Explorer, Advanced LIGO and A#, Precision Optical Metrology, Quantum Sensing and Detection
![Duncan Brown](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/image.png)
Charles Brightman Professor
dabrown@syr.edu
Research Interests: Nuclear Astrophysics, Cosmic Explorer, High Throughput Computing, Machine Learning
![Craig Cahillane, Assistant Professor](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Minnowborok-Photo_edited.jpg)
Assistant Professor
ccahil01@syr.edu
Research Interests: High power lasers, Advanced LIGO and A#, Cosmic Explorer, Modeling Complex systems
![](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Eric-Coughlin.width-400.jpg)
Assistant Professor
ecoughli@syr.edu
Research Interests: Tidal disruption events, Core-collapse supernovae, Relativistic jets, Few-body dynamics, Relativistic radiation-hydrodynamics.
![Pankaj Jha](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/PKJha_ECS_Website-min-300x275-1.jpg)
Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
pkjha@syr.edu
Research Interests: Quantum Sensing and Detection, Machine Learning, Precision Optical Metrology,
![Georgia Mansell, Assistant Professor](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Georgia-Mansell-Minnowbrook-photo_edited.jpg)
Assistant Professor
glmansell@syr.edu
Research Interests: Advanced LIGO and A#, Quantum Sensing and Detection, High power lasers, Cosmic Explorer
![Alex Nitz, Associate Professor](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Alexander-Nitz-Minnowbrook-photo_edited-300-by-300.jpg)
Associate Professor
ahnitz@syr.edu
Research Interests: Black Holes and Neutron Stars, Multimessenger Astrophysics, Dark Matter, High Throughput Computing, Machine Learning
![Steve Penn](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Steve-Penn-2-1.jpg)
Associate Professor, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
penn@hws.edu
Research Interests: Precision Optical Metrology, Advanced LIGO and A#, Cosmic Explorer, Modeling Complex systems.
![Jason Pollack](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Jason-Pollack-crop-300x280-4.jpg)
Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
japollac@syr.edu
Research Interests: Quantum Sensing and Detection, Quantum Information, Decoherence and Thermalization, Emergent Spacetime and Quantum Gravity.
![Josh Russell](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Josh.jpg)
Assistant Professor, Earth and Environmental Sciences
jbrussel@syr.edu
Research Interests: Cosmic Explorer, Seismic Sensing and Imaging, Structure and Evolution of Tectonic Plates
![Chris Scholz, Professor](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/chris.jpg)
Professor, Earth and Environmental Sciences
cascholz@syr.edu
Research Interests: Sedimentary Basin Evolution, Reflection Seismology, Cosmic Explorer, Seismic Sensing and Imaging
![](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2794.jpeg)
Research Associate Professor
cdcapano@syr.edu
Research Interests: Black Holes and Neutron Stars, Nuclear Astrophysics, Tests of General Relativity, High Throughput Computing
STAFF/POSTDOCS:
![Satoshi Tanioka, Post Doctoral Researcher](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/PXL_20221025_175658681_edited.jpg)
Post Doctoral Researcher
stanioka@syr.edu
![Rahual Somasundaram](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Rahul-Somasandaram.width-400-1-1.jpg)
Post Doctoral Researcher
rsomasun@syr.edu
![Hung Tan](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Hung-Tan.jpg)
Post Doctoral Researcher
htan05@syr.edu
![](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/BinWu-1.jpg)
Post Doctoral Researcher
bwu127@syr.edu
![](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/17021667_10158396206580014_8845203277055577384_n.jpg)
Post Doctoral Researcher
gaeddoll@syr.edu
![](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_2010-final-3.jpg)
Post Doctoral Researcher
ksoni01@syr.edu
![](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/CFW00744-1-1-scaled.jpg)
Program Manager
kjgarvey@syr.edu
![](https://gravitationalwaves.syracuse.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/PLACEHOLDER-PORTRAIT.jpg)
GRADUATE STUDENTS
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS