Alison Sills

Dr. Alison Sills is a Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at McMaster University, where she has been a faculty member since 2001 and Chair since 2012. Her research focuses on stellar collisions, binary interactions, and the formation of blue stragglers in dense stellar clusters. She earned her BSc from the University of Western Ontario and PhD from Yale University, followed by postdoctoral positions at Ohio State and Leicester.

• Affiliations:
  • McMaster University (Faculty since 2001, Full Professor since 2012)
  • Canadian Astronomical Society
  • Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics
  • International Astronomical Union

Dr. Sills specializes in Stellar Astrophysics and Computational Astrophysics, analyzing how stars evolve through collisions and binary interactions in dense clusters. Her work combines Galactic Dynamics and Star Clusters to understand formation mechanisms and chemical enrichment processes.

Her recent publications (2023-2025) examine Star Cluster Formation in gas-rich environments, Binary Star Systems as enrichment sources, and Dark Matter Halo constraints using globular clusters. She employs N-body Simulations, Hydrodynamic Modeling, and Radiation Hydrodynamics to study these phenomena.

Dr. Sills has supervised over 50 students and postdoctoral fellows, managed $2M+ in research grants, and reviewed applications for international agencies. She actively participates in outreach programs to promote astronomy and support underrepresented groups in STEM.