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Volker Springel | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 18, 1970 Backnang, Germany |
| Nationality | German |
| Education | University of Tübingen
University of California, Berkeley Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich |
| Known for | Developing the GADGET code |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astrophysics, Cosmology |
Volker Springel is a German astrophysicist known for his work in the field of galaxy formation and evolution, as well as his development of computational tools for cosmological simulations.[1][2][3]
Early life and education
editSpringel was born on November 18, 1970, in Backnang, Germany. His early interest in physics was nurtured during his high school years, where he excelled in competitions such as the International Physics Olympiad, winning bronze and silver medals. He pursued his undergraduate studies in physics at the University of Tübingen and the University of California, Berkeley, eventually earning his PhD in astrophysics from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in 2000.[4][5]
Career and research contributions
editAfter completing his doctorate, Springel held a postdoctoral position at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics before joining the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics (MPA) as a postdoctoral researcher. In 2005, he became a group leader in computational cosmology at MPA and later served as a professor for theoretical astrophysics at Heidelberg University from 2010 to 2018.[6][7]
Springel is renowned for his contributions to computational astrophysics, particularly in the field of cosmic structure formation. He developed several influential numerical simulation codes, such as GADGET and AREPO. GADGET, introduced in 2001, played a crucial role in the Millennium Simulation, the first dark-matter-only simulation encompassing a representative volume of the universe.[8]
Springel's work on the AREPO code led to the development of the Illustris and IllustrisTNG simulation projects, which provide detailed models of galaxy formation and evolution over cosmic time. These simulations incorporate various physical processes, including the effects of supermassive black holes, star formation, and magnetic fields.[9]
Honors and awards
edit- Otto Hahn Medal, Max Planck Society (2000)
- Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Award, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (2004)
- Klung-Wilhelmy-Weberbank Prize for Physics (2009)
- European Research Council Consolidator Grant "EXAGAL" (2013)
- Golden Spike Award, High Performance Computing Center Stuttgart (2016)
- Astrophysical Software Award, German Astronomical Society (2018)
- Gruber Prize for Cosmology (2020)
- Leibniz Award, DFG (2021)[1]
References
edit- ^ a b "Springel, Volker | Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics". www.mpa-garching.mpg.de. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
- ^ "Volker Springel". scholar.google.com. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
- ^ "Theoretical Astrophysics (TAP) group". HITS. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
- ^ "Volker Springel – NAS". nasonline. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
- ^ "Prof. Dr. Volker Springel". www.imprs-astro.mpg.de. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
- ^ "2020 Gruber Prize in Cosmology has been awarded to Harvard's Lars Hernquist and Volker Springel (MPI)". itc.cfa.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
- ^ "Volker Springel zum Direktor am MPA berufen". www.mpa-garching.mpg.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-10.
- ^ "GADGET-4". wwwmpa.mpa-garching.mpg.de. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
- ^ Vogelsberger, Mark; Sijacki, Debora; Keres, Dusan; Springel, Volker; Hernquist, Lars (2012-10-01). "Moving mesh cosmology: numerical techniques and global statistics". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 425 (4): 3024–3057. arXiv:1109.1281. Bibcode:2012MNRAS.425.3024V. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21590.x.