Alessandra Buonanno
Encyclopedia
Alessandra Buonanno is an Italian physicist
and associate professor of physics at the University of Maryland
in College Park, Maryland
. She is an expert in the theory and detection of gravitational waves.
Alessandra Buonanno was an undergraduate and graduate student at the University of Pisa
. She spent eight months at CERN
as a research associate, followed by postdoctoral appointments at the Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques
(France) and at the California Institute of Technology
as Tolman fellow. She joined the Physics faculty at the University of Maryland in September 2005. She was an Alfred P. Sloan Fellow
from 2006 to 2008.
Her research interests include spin
effects in binary black hole
s, quantum-optical noise in gravitational wave detector
s, and primordial gravitational waves.
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
and associate professor of physics at the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
in College Park, Maryland
College Park, Maryland
College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
. She is an expert in the theory and detection of gravitational waves.
Alessandra Buonanno was an undergraduate and graduate student at the University of Pisa
University of Pisa
The University of Pisa , located in Pisa, Tuscany, is one of the oldest universities in Italy. It was formally founded on September 3, 1343 by an edict of Pope Clement VI, although there had been lectures on law in Pisa since the 11th century...
. She spent eight months at CERN
CERN
The European Organization for Nuclear Research , known as CERN , is an international organization whose purpose is to operate the world's largest particle physics laboratory, which is situated in the northwest suburbs of Geneva on the Franco–Swiss border...
as a research associate, followed by postdoctoral appointments at the Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques
Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques
The Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques is a French institute supporting advanced research in mathematics and theoretical physics...
(France) and at the California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
as Tolman fellow. She joined the Physics faculty at the University of Maryland in September 2005. She was an Alfred P. Sloan Fellow
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a philanthropic non-profit organization in the United States. It was established in 1934 by Alfred P. Sloan, Jr., then-President and Chief Executive Officer of General Motors.-Overview:...
from 2006 to 2008.
Her research interests include spin
Spin (physics)
In quantum mechanics and particle physics, spin is a fundamental characteristic property of elementary particles, composite particles , and atomic nuclei.It is worth noting that the intrinsic property of subatomic particles called spin and discussed in this article, is related in some small ways,...
effects in binary black hole
Black hole
A black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that...
s, quantum-optical noise in gravitational wave detector
Gravitational wave detector
A gravitational wave detector is any experiment designed to measure gravitational waves, minute distortions of spacetime that are predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity. The existence of gravitational radiation is a prediction of Einstein's general theory of relativity. Gravitational...
s, and primordial gravitational waves.