Manoel Couder

Manoel Couder is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Notre Dame. He holds an office in Nieuwland Science Hall and conducts research focused on nuclear reactions of astrophysical and medical importance. His work includes developing techniques to measure low-cross-section reactions using recoil separators (e.g., St. George and SECAR) and underground facilities like CASPAR. He also investigates accelerator-based production of medical isotopes, such as ^99mTc.

Education: B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. in Physics from Université Catholique de Louvain (1998–2004).

Research Interests: Radiative capture processes in nucleosynthesis, low-energy nuclear astrophysics, and isotope production for medical applications. Techniques include recoil mass separation, underground experiments, and indirect reaction measurements. Collaborations involve Michigan State University, Texas A&M University, and the CASPAR underground laboratory.

Notable Projects: SECAR separator development, CASPAR facility operations, and studies of neutron-rich nuclei for the r-process. His work addresses challenges in measuring reactions critical to stellar explosions and medical isotope availability.