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Eric Coughlin

Eric Coughlin

Eric Coughlin

Assistant Professor

CONTACT

Physics
263D Physics Building
Email: ecoughli@syr.edu

Degrees

  • Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Colorado at Boulder
  • Postdoctoral researcher at Princeton University

Social/Academic Links

Research Interests

Specializations: Astrophysical fluid dynamics

"Science encompasses not just knowledge but also the pursuit of knowledge. In my teaching I exemplify that the route to discovery -- the creative processes we employ to make scientific progress -- is tantamount in importance to the discovery itself."

Honors and Awards

Key Honor/Award: NASA Hubble and Einstein Fellow

News
Right on Schedule: Physicists Use Modeling to Forecast a Black Hole's Feeding Patterns with Precision

(Aug. 15, 2024)

The dramatic dimming of a light source ~ 860 million light-years away from Earth confirms the accuracy of a detailed model developed by a team of astrophysicists, including Syracuse University Professor Eric Coughlin.

Scientists Spin Up a New Way to Unlock Black Hole Mysteries

(May 22, 2024)

Syracuse University astrophysicist co-authors a study in Nature that details how observations of a wobbling disk following a tidal disruption event can be used to estimate black hole spin.

Close Encounters of the Supermassive Black Hole Kind: Tidal Disruption Events and What They Can Reveal about Black Holes and Stars in Distant Galaxies

(Jan. 11, 2024)

Astrophysicists from Syracuse University and the University of Leeds collaborate with high school students in Syracuse to confirm the accuracy of an analytical model that can unlock key information about supermassive black holes and the stars they engulf.

Department of Physics Holds Second Annual Paid Internship Program for Aspiring Young Scientists in Syracuse

(Aug. 10, 2023)

The Syracuse University Research in Physics program brings Syracuse City School District students to campus labs for six weeks of physics research.

A Star’s Unexpected Survival

(Jan. 12, 2023)

A team of physicists devise a model that maps a star’s surprising orbit about a supermassive black hole – revealing new information about one of the cosmos’ most extreme environments.

A Home-Grown Path for Future Physicists

(Aug. 10, 2022)

Syracuse City School District students get a taste for college-level research alongside A&S faculty through the Syracuse University Research in Physics (SURPh) paid internship.

Two A&S Professors Receive Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards

(June 27, 2022)

The awards will support physicist Eric Coughlin’s astrophysical research into deep tidal disruptions and psychologist Jillian Scheer’s work with at-risk LGBTQ populations.