Reinhold Willcox, PhD

Theoretical and Computational Astrophysicist


About

I have recently completed my PhD at Monash University, in Melbourne, AU, in theoretical and computational astrophysics. My thesis, "Refining Mass Transfer and Supernova Models in Binary Stellar Populations", focused on interacting, massive binary stars modelled using the rapid population synthesis code COMPAS for which I am an active developer.

This research is heavily motivated by the growing population of merging double compact objects which have been observed by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA gravitational wave detectors, many of which are believed to have come from interacting, isolated binaries. For further detail, and for a list of recent publications, see Research.

I am particularly fond of pulsars, (stripped and unstripped) supernovae, the birth distributions of massive stars, and the boundary between stable and unstable binary mass transfer, and will happily consider new ideas for related projects.

CV


You can download my CV here.

Future Plans


As of March 2023, I am happy to annouce that I have officially accepted a postdoc offer from KU Leuven in Belgium, to begin toward the end of this year! As such, I am not currently looking for new positions. However, if you would like to discuss opportunities to present talks or colloquia, or have a general research question, please reach out!