Adrienne L. Erickcek

Adrienne L. Erickcek is a Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill). She holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the California Institute of Technology (2009), an MASt in Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics from the University of Cambridge (2004), and an A.B. in Physics from Princeton University (2003). Her research focuses on theoretical cosmology, including dark matter, early Universe phenomena, dark energy, and alternative gravity theories, with a particular emphasis on using cosmological observations to probe inflation, dark matter distribution, and gravitational lensing effects.

Key research areas include:

• Substructure formation from reheating processes
• Gravitational lensing by dark matter subhalos
• Asymmetric inflation and cosmic microwave background asymmetries
• Solar system tests of modified gravity theories (e.g., f(R) gravity, Chern-Simons gravity)

Her work has explored the implications of early Universe dynamics on dark matter substructure, gravitational lensing signatures of dark matter, and constraints on gravity theories from astrophysical and cosmological data. Collaborators include prominent researchers such as Neil Barnaby, Sarah Shandera, and Marc Kamionkowski.

Erickcek has advised at least one student, Fangda Li, and her contributions include over a decade of academic service at UNC-Chapel Hill, progressing from Assistant Professor (2013–2019) to Associate Professor (2019–2024) before her current rank. She is affiliated with institutions like the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics through her postdoctoral work.

Her research also intersects with observational efforts, such as leveraging astrometric surveys (e.g., Gaia) and gravitational wave detection (e.g., LISA) to test cosmological models. Presentations and technical papers span topics ranging from chameleon gravity to ultra-compact minihalos (UCMHs) and SMBH mergers.