Faculty Office Hour: Douglas Gobeille

Extraterrestrials, Black Holes, and Death by Space: Why Astrophysics Matters

This semester we are continuing to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the College of Arts and Sciences by visiting with two science professors. Join us to learn more about space and quantum computing!

Professor Doug Gobeille is a teaching professor of astrophysics who has been at URI for almost a decade. His classes examine life, humanity, and their place in the universe by incorporating modern observations and publications into introductory classroom investigations. Additionally, a separate team-taught course investigates science in science fiction media with a focus on film and television. He works with other faculty in building the larger astronomy and astrophysics facet of the URI Physics Department, including undergraduate research, upper level courses, and astrophotography.

Professor Gobeille’s primary research focuses on the study of supermassive black holes, specifically their production of active galactic nuclei and their evolution through cosmological time. This work focuses on studying the morphology of radio loud quasars using the Very Large Array (JVLA) in Socorro, NM. Additionally, observations are made with the SWIFT, Chandra, XMM Newton, and Fermi space telescopes to investigate the energy production mechanisms for X-rays and gamma-rays in high redshift quasar jets.

This research builds on his undergraduate work with Dr. Leslie Brown at Connecticut College, and graduate studies with Dr. John Wardle at Brandeis University.

This webinar will be hosted by URI Digital Content Strategist Marybeth Reilly-McGreen.

Cost: Complimentary

Register by: Wednesday, March 6, 2024

URI Foundation & Alumni Engagement welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you need accommodations or have questions about access to the event, please call 401.874.2242 at least five business days in advance. For TTY assistance, please call the R.I. Relay Service at 711.