Nicolás Yunes
Collaboration Director
I am a Professor of Physics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where I founded and direct the Illinois Center for Advanced Studies of the Universe. My research lies at the interface of gravitational theory and astrophysical observation, with a central focus on uncovering new physics through data—a theme that underpins the Simons Collaboration on Black Holes and Strong Gravity (SimonsC-BHSG).
My work develops theoretical frameworks and computational tools that connect models of fundamental physics with astrophysical observations. I have contributed extensively to the study of compact objects, including the modeling of compact binary inspirals, mergers, and ringdowns; the structure of neutron stars with realistic nuclear physics frameworks; and the modeling of black holes in effective field theories. A guiding theme of my research is to bridge theory and observation by using data from gravitational-wave observatories such as LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA—and future detectors—to probe the nature of spacetime in its most extreme regimes.
I am honored to serve as the founding Director of the SimonsC-BHSG, a multi-institutional program uniting theorists and observers to advance our understanding of strong gravity and black holes. My professional service includes co-chairing the LISA Consortium’s Waveform Working Group, contributing to the Astro2020 Decadal Survey, and serving as a member of the scientific editorial board for Classical and Quantum Gravity. I am a Fellow of the American Physical Society and of the International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation, and the recipient of the latter’s Young Scientist Prize.
Contact
Simons Collaboration ON Black Holes and Strong Gravity 