Dr. Renee Ludlam is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Main Discipline(s):
Main Professional Societies:
Affiliation(s):
- Astrophysics
- American Astronomical Society High-Energy Astrophysics Division
- Assistant Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Wayne State University
What are your undergraduate and graduate degrees in and from where?
I have BA in Astronomy and BS in Physics from Wayne State University. My MSc and PhD are in Astronomy and Astrophysics from the University of Michigan.
Give a brief summary (250 words or less) of your current area of research.
My current area of research focuses on understanding the densest objects with a surface in the Universe: neutron stars. The matter inside a neutron star exists in an ultra-dense (several times denser than an atomic nucleus), cold state that we cannot create in a terrestrial laboratory. Therefore, the only way to know how matter behaves under these conditions is by observing these extreme objects. I focus on neutron stars that exist in a binary system with a star that is roughly the size of our Sun. Matter is stripped from the stellar companion and forms a disk of material around the neutron star that heats up to the point that X-rays are emitted. I utilize data from various space-based X-ray observatories and search for emission lines that are broadened by the strong gravitational effects close to the compact object. By understanding the X-ray emission from these systems, we can learn more about the properties of the disk and the neutron star itself.
How did you arrive at your current area of research?
I was already progressing towards studying less massive compact objects. I started out conducting research on supermassive black holes at the center of other galaxies that are about a million times the mass of our Sun and transitioned to stellar mass black holes in our own galaxy that are only ten times larger than the Sun. Hence, it was a natural progression to pivot towards neutron stars, which are about 1.5 times the mass of the Sun. There are also interesting physical questions that arise when a surface is present for an accreting compact object that I have been thinking about more carefully lately.
What do you see as a current emerging area of research that you would like to participate in and why?
Multi-messenger astronomy is an emerging field of research with the successful detection of gravitational waves from two merging neutron stars and the detection of Gamma-rays just seconds afterwards. This opens a new door to observing these objects through both gravitational and electromagnetic means that will only progress as technology improves.
Tell us your (one) favorite STEM research paper or book. Why it is your favorite?
I must confess that I do not have one. There are too many solid reference papers and books to pick one.
Do you have a favorite scientist, engineer or other role model? Who is it and why?
There are many exceptional people in the field that it is hard to pick a single person when so many people have helped me become the scientist that I am today.
What do you do for fun outside of your role as a woman in STEM?
I enjoy spending time with family, cycling, reading, crocheting, and pub-style trivia nights.