معرفی
Anna Simon-Robertson is an Associate Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Notre Dame, where she also serves as Director of Graduate Studies. Her primary research focuses on nuclear astrophysics, specifically studying neutron and proton capture reactions relevant to astrophysical processes like the p-process, γ-process, and stockpile stewardship. She leads the development of advanced detectors such as HECTOR (High Efficiency TOtal absorption spectrometeR) and collaborates with institutions like Texas A&M and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
- Education: M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Physics from Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland.
Her research group investigates reactions critical to understanding nucleosynthesis in supernovae and stellar explosions, with a focus on experimental techniques like the surrogate method and Oslo method. They also explore the behavior of materials under extreme conditions for national security applications. Key projects include measuring cross sections for heavy nuclei using the Hyperion array and analyzing γ-ray strength functions to refine astrophysical models.
Recent Highlights: Published results on Zn, Sn, and Kr isotopes for γ-process modeling; contributions to neutron capture measurements via HECTOR; leadership in training >20 graduate and undergraduate students. Collaborative efforts include the CENTAUR Center for Excellence under NNSA funding.
- Awards: Group members have received accolades like the Browne Award, though no specific awards for Dr. Simon-Robertson are explicitly listed.
- Grants: Supported by NNSA via the CENTAUR Center and other initiatives.
Her lab’s infrastructure includes the NSL (Nuclear Science Lab) and access to cutting-edge facilities like DANCE (Differential Die-away Detector for Neutron Capture Experiments).
