Liliana Caballero

Liliana Caballero is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Guelph. Her research focuses on theoretical nuclear astrophysics, exploring phenomena such as neutrino emission in compact objects, neutron star mergers, and heavy element synthesis. She holds a B.Sc. from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, and M.Sc. and PhD from Indiana University. Postdoctoral roles included positions at North Carolina State University, the Institute for Nuclear Theory (University of Washington), and TRIUMF. She joined the University of Guelph in 2016.

Education:

• B.Sc., Physics, Universidad Nacional de Colombia
• M.Sc., Physics, Indiana University
• PhD, Physics, Indiana University

Research Interests:

Prof. Caballero investigates the interplay between nuclear forces and astrophysical phenomena. Key areas include neutrino behavior in supernovae and neutron star mergers, the structure of neutron stars, and the role of gravity and thermodynamics in element synthesis. Her work bridges nuclear physics and astrophysics, using theoretical models to understand extreme cosmic environments.

Awards & Grants:

• Recipient of two NSERC Discovery Grants (2016–2025)
• TEDx GuelphU speaker on 'Eccentric Stars'
• 2017 Neutrino Question Winner, Fermilab

Advising & Mentorship:

• Supervised over 20 graduate and undergraduate students
• Co-supervised PhD students at Universidad de Los Andes

Labs & Collaborations:

Active collaborations include the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics and international teams studying compact objects and neutrino astrophysics.