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Prof Robert Crain

Astrophysics Research Institute

Faculty of Engineering and Technology

Email: R.A.Crain@ljmu.ac.uk

Telephone: 0151 904 6560

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I am a Professor of Theoretical Astrophysics at the Astrophysics Research Institute (ARI) of Liverpool John Moores University.

I am the ARI's Head of Research, I am the academic lead of the university's central high performance computing (HPC) facility Prospero, and sit on the university's research committee as a member of its technology advisory group. I am a former chair of the DiRAC astronomy & cosmology panel.

My personal webpage can be found at https://hpc.ljmu.ac.uk/~astrcrai.

My research focusses on the formation of galaxies, and their dynamic co-evolution with their gaseous environments. Most commonly, I approach these studies using large-scale hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy populations, conducted on world-leading supercomputing facilities. These ‘synthetic universes’, evolved from the Big Bang to the present day, are the astrophysicist’s analogue of laboratory experiments; they enable us to study the complex processes that shape the properties of galaxies and their environments, and that ultimately govern the nature of the galaxy population we observe around us.

I am also interested in artificial intelligence and machine learning methods for the analysis of large, complex datasets. I am a member of the LIV.INNO Centre for Doctoral Training for Innovation in Data Intensive Science, via which I work with Aspia Space on transferring methods from astrophysics to the analysis of earth observation data from satellites.

For my research I was a recipient of the Royal Astronomical Society's Group Award in 2022. I was also named in Clarivate's "Highly Cited Researchers" list in 2021 and again in 2023.

Languages

English

Degrees

2008, Durham University, United Kingdom, PhD
2004, Durham University, United Kingdom, MSci

Academic appointments

Professor of Theoretical Astrophysics, Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, 2020 - present
Reader in Theoretical Astrophysics, Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, 2017 - 2020
Royal Society University Research Fellow, Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, 2014 - present
Senior Lecturer, Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, 2014 - 2017
Postdoctoral Fellow, Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, 2011 - 2014
Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for Astrophysics & Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology, 2009 - 2011

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