Brandon L. Barker

About Me

I am a third year Astrophysics and Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering dual PhD student and NSF Graduate Fellow at Michigan State University working with Sean Couch. I am also currently a visiting researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory withing with Jonah Miller to study collapsars. My work involves high-fidelity modeling of core-collapse supernovae and related phenomena and the implementation of high-order numerical methods. Broadly, I am interested in numerical relativity, high-order numerical methods, multi-physics problems, and the development of open-source scientific software. As a first generation college student, I am passionate about advocating for other first generation students. Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, nature photography, and perfecting my coffee brew.

About Me
CV

Simulation image of Core-collapse supernovae

Research

Core-collapse supernovae are some of the most interesting events in the universe (though I may be biased on this!). They contain a wealth of fundamental physics and allow us to probe environments far grander than those accessible to Terrestrial labs in order to understand how matter behaves in the most extreme environments. They are responsible for the synthesis of many of the elements up to iron, and possibly beyond, and drive the evolution of galaxies. Understanding these phenomena requires a partnership of observational and theoretical efforts. My work lies in the theoretical study of these events using the most advanced computers available and the exploration of how to use modern theory to understand observations.

My Work

Outreach

Throughout my career I have worked to maintain an involvement in my community. This has made for some of the most enriching moments of my education. Find out about the outreach initiatives I have been involved in!

My Outreach

Resources

Find resources for crafting graduate fellowship applications, REU's, and more!

My Resources

Service and Leadership

In addition to staying involved within my community, I have worked to make my academic environments a better place. Find out about how I've provided resources for the students around me!

My Service