About
Dr. Avishai Gilkis. Researcher at the Astrophysics Department, Tel Aviv University.
​In my research I study the evolution of massive stars and associated energetic transient phenomena, including supernovae and the formation of exotic remnants such as neutron stars and black holes. I focus on uncertainties in theoretical modeling, especially internal mixing processes, mass loss, and binary interactions, and undertake quantitative comparisons between theory and observations. I take an integrative approach, connecting the before and after stages of supernovae, comparing in detail observations and theory, and looking at the entire broad range of phenomenon in the massive star regime.
Research
My research is mostly computational in its nature. I have used several different astrophysical codes, starting with simulations of the gas in galaxy clusters using the PLUTO code during my MSc studies. During my PhD I conducted low Mach-number simulations of stellar interiors with the MAESTRO code, and later on core-collapse simulations with FLASH. In my postdoctoral work I turned my focus to stellar evolution, and in the last few years I have been using the stellar evolution codes binary_c and MESA.
Teaching
I teach schoolchildren astronomy and astrophysics at the Tel Aviv Youth University, including operation of the campus planetarium.
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I have supervised several student research projects, several resulting in publications in peer-reviewed journals, at the Technion and Tel Aviv University in Israel, and at the Institute of Astronomy in Cambridge, UK.