Decker French

Decker French is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and holds a joint appointment at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA). Her work bridges observational astrophysics and computational analysis, focusing on galaxy evolution, transient phenomena, and multi-wavelength surveys.

• Education: SB in Physics and Earth/Atmospheric Sciences (MIT, 2011), PhD in Astronomy & Astrophysics (University of Arizona, 2017)
• Affiliations: University of Illinois (2020–present), Carnegie Observatories (Hubble Fellow, 2017–2020)

French’s research explores the interplay between galaxy evolution and supermassive black hole dynamics, combining optical/radio observations with theoretical modeling. Key projects include studying tide disruption events (TDEs), post-starburst galaxies, and AGN activity in quenched systems.

Her recent publications span topics like AT2020nov: Disk Reprocessing in TDEs, radio variability in AGN-driven outflows, and resolved kinematics of post-starburst galaxies. These works leverage surveys such as YSE, DESI, and EDGE-CALIFA to map transient phenomena and galaxy evolution patterns.

Scientific Awards

• Hubble Postdoctoral Fellow (2017–2020)

French’s research integrates observational techniques with supercomputing resources via her NCSA affiliation, advancing transient detection pipelines and galaxy evolution modeling.