Professor of Astronomy
Director, Theoretical Astrophysics Center
PhD 1999 (Harvard University)
Campus address and phone:
645 Campbell Hall
Theoretical astrophysics; compact objects; galaxy formation; plasma astrophysics
Prof. Quataert's research interests are in theoretical astrophysics, with an emphasis on compact objects and galaxy formation. Current areas of research include accretion onto black holes, relativistic outflows from neutron stars, the formation and evolution of galaxies and supermassive black holes, and the dynamics of gas in starbursts and active galactic nuclei.
Prof. Quataert went to a public high school in upstate New York and then majored in physics as an undergraduate at MIT. He received his PhD from the Harvard Astronomy Department. He spent two years as a long-term member and Chandra Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton before joining the faculty at UC Berkeley in 2001. In addition to his research interests, Prof. Quataert is also a well-regarded teacher and public lecturer.