Maverick Berkland
Bio
I am a Space Sciences PhD student working on simulating off-axis emissions of Gamma-ray burst afterglows under Dr. Warren. These simulations mix relativistic hydrodynamics with radiative transfer but are necessary to understand observations of such afterglows. With the Rubin Observatory now collecting data, we expect 1000 or more off-axis afterglows every year--if we know what they should look like. Specifically, I model the hydrodynamics of ultra-relativistic jets as they decelerate to understand how viewing geometry affects observed light curves and spectra.
I was born and raised in Omaha, NE, eventually receiving BS Physics, BA Mathematics, and BS Computer Science in 2022 at The University of Nebraska at Omaha. I also moved to Florida in 2022, pursuing the majority of my research remotely from Fort Myers.
