About Me
I'm a theoretical physicist who studies the atomic nucleus: how it is built, how it reacts and decays, and how those properties shape the creation of the elements in the cosmos. I run my own scientific consulting business, Obsidian Research. I am also an adjunct professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Notre Dame, and I retain a guest scientist appointment at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL).
The purpose of Obsidian Research is to assist researchers in pushing the boundaries of human knowledge using the latest computational technology, including artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML). My current research interests lie where AI/ML meets theoretical physics: aligning these new tools with the rigor of physical theory to accelerate discovery, from faster and more faithful models of the atomic nucleus to the origin of the elements. I continue to collaborate with, and lead, international teams working at the cutting edge of low-energy nuclear structure, nuclear reactions and nuclear astrophysics. Check out the research section of this website for recent results.
My path in physics began in nuclear structure and reaction mechanisms, and their application to nuclear astrophysics. I received my PhD at North Carolina State University under the direction of Gail McLaughlin, then worked as a postdoc at Notre Dame under the direction of Ani Aprahamian and Rebecca Surman. I then spent eleven years at LANL, where I led the nuclear astrophysics team and contributed to the laboratory's nuclear data program, including leading an international team on the evaluation of 239Pu for the ENDF/B-VIII.1 nuclear data library. At Los Alamos I pushed our nuclear models to their limits through basic science research, in particular nucleosynthesis: the study of how the chemical elements on the periodic table were created in cosmic environments. Along the way I came to appreciate how widely nuclear models apply, from nuclear medicine, to national security and even the cosmos.
I firmly believe that practicing in scientific inquiry is both empowering and a necessary requirement for success in today's world. You can learn more about my teaching efforts in the mentoring section of this website.
Outside of physics I enjoy keeping up with the latest technology trends and coming up with unique solutions to challenging problems, and I have a long history of entrepreneurship. In my free time I enjoy a good game of racquetball. If you are interested in a game, shoot me an e-mail.