Robert Coyne

Robert Coyne is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Physics Department at the University of Rhode Island (URI), located at East Hall, Kingston, RI. His academic career includes roles as a Lecturer at URI since 2017 and postdoctoral research positions at Texas Tech University (2014–2017). He specializes in gravitational wave astrophysics, gamma-ray astronomy, and physics education research.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Physics, George Washington University (2015)
• M.S. and B.S. in Physics, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (2011 and 2007)

Research Interests:

Coyne’s research focuses on gravitational wave detection using advanced facilities like LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA, with an emphasis on correlations with gamma-ray bursts and data analysis. He also contributes to physics education research to improve pedagogical strategies in STEM.

Awards & Honors:

• Princess of Asturias Award (2017) for LIGO’s gravitational wave discovery
• Bruno Rossi Prize (2017) as part of the LIGO collaboration
• National Space Club Huntsville Award (2016)
• Gruber Cosmology Prize (2016)
• Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics (2016)
• LSC Best Analysis/Theory Poster (2013)
• AAPT Outstanding Teaching Award (2012)

Collaborations & Contributions:

Coyne has been instrumental in multi-messenger astronomy efforts, linking gravitational wave observations with gamma-ray and electromagnetic signals. His work includes developing search algorithms like CoCoA for transient signals and analyzing data from major observatories. He also participates in outreach to communicate discoveries to the public.

Labs & Teams:

Active member of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC), contributing to detector operations and data analysis. Collaborates with institutions such as Texas Tech University and Fermi/GBM teams for multi-wavelength studies.