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Murphy, Nicholas

Astrophysicist

My work is primarily on the development of PlasmaPy: an open source software package for plasma research and education that has applications for astrophysics, heliophysics, laboratory plasma physics, and fusion energy.  I also perform simulations of magnetic reconnection (the plasma process in which magnetic energy is explosively converted into kinetic and thermal energy) in the partially ionized solar chromosphere.  I am based at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian in Cambridge, MA.

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Background And Education

Education And Training

  • Ph.D. in Astronomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison , Astronomy, Thesis: Simulation and Analysis of Magnetic Reconnection in a Laboratory Plasma Astrophysics Experiment 2003 - 2009
  • B.S. in Astronomy & Astrophysics, General Physics, and Mathematical Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor , Astronomy 1999 - 2003

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Co-principal Investigator On

Other Research Activities

  • PlasmaPy Coordinating Committee member and core developer 2016 -

Has Expertise In Technique

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Activities

Teaching Activities

  • Plasma Astrophysics Co-instructor of graduate course in Harvard's Department of Astronomy 2014 - 2016

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