Fabian Gittins

Dr. Fabian Gittins is a Research Fellow at Utrecht University's Gravitational and Subatomic Physics (GRASP) department, where he leads a Marie Skłodowska-Curie research program focused on neutron-star physics and gravitational-wave astronomy. His work combines analytical calculations, numerical modeling, and data analysis to probe extreme nuclear matter through gravitational-wave signatures from neutron stars.

Research Focus

Gittins investigates three primary phenomena:

• Binary neutron-star mergers - Studying tidal interactions and phase transitions in ultra-dense matter
• Neutron-star mountains - Modeling millimetre-scale deformations that generate continuous gravitational waves
• Oscillation modes - Analyzing g-modes and r-modes as probes of internal stellar structure

His research aims to constrain the neutron-star equation of state and detect quark matter phases.

Publications Analysis

Gittins' recent publications (2020-2025) demonstrate a consistent focus on neutron-star dynamics across three themes: gravitational-wave emission mechanisms (38%), relativistic modeling of stellar structure (31%), and nuclear matter phase transitions (31%). His work increasingly incorporates multi-messenger approaches combining gravitational-wave data with nuclear physics constraints.

Awards and Recognition

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship (2023) - €200,000 for 'DynTideEOS' research program
• Institute of Physics Thesis Prize (2021) - For PhD work on neutron-star deformations
• Southampton Best Publication Award (2021) - For gravitational-wave research

Collaborations and Facilities

Gittins is an active member of the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration and contributes to next-generation observatory development (Einstein Telescope, Cosmic Explorer). He leads the DynTideEOS research group at Utrecht University, focusing on dynamical tides in binary systems.