Overview

Physics Research at Keele focusses on “Astrophysics” and “Materials Science and Renewable Energy”. The research interests in Astrophysics include star formation and stellar clusters, late stellar evolution, massive stars and their impact on the early universe, the interstellar medium, binary stars, interacting binary stars, the detection and characterisation of extra-solar planets. The research interests in Materials Science and Renewable Energy include physical acoustics and 2D materials.

Research interests

Astrophysics

• Star formation and young stellar objects (Professor Rob Jeffries, Dr Joana Oliveira, Dr Nick Wright)
• Transiting extrasolar planetary systems (Professor Coel Hellier, Dr Pierre Maxted, Dr John Taylor (Southworth))
• Eclipsing binary star systems (Dr Pierre Maxted, Dr John Taylor (Southworth))
• Star cluster dynamics (Dr Nick Wright, Professor Rob Jeffries)
• Evolved stars – mass loss and explosive ends (Professor Nye Evans, Dr Jacco van Loon, Professor Raphael Hirschi)
• Structure, content and dynamics of the interstellar medium (Dr Joana Oliveira, Dr Jacco van Loon)
• Theoretical and computational modelling of stellar interiors, stellar evolution and stellar atmospheres (Professor Raphael Hirschi, Dr Barry Smalley)
• Nuclear astrophysics and the origin of the elements (Professor Raphael Hirschi)
• Atmospheric properties of A, F and G stars (Dr Barry Smalley)
• Active galactic nuclei (Dr Jacco van Loon)

Physics

• High-performance computer simulations of materials for sustainable technologies (Dr Juliana Morbec)
• Fundamental properties and applications of 2D materials (Dr Nilanthy Balakrishnan)