about RCH

I am a Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Dartmouth College. My interests include active galactic nuclei, galaxy evolution, large-scale structure of the Universe, the cosmic X-ray background, and X-ray binary pulsars. My full CV is here.

I am currently Chair of the Executive Committee of NASA’s Physics of the Cosmos Program Analysis Group (PhysPAG) as Co-Chair of the X-ray Science Interest Group (XRSIG). I also a member of the Executive Committee of the High Energy Astrophysics Division of the American Astronomical Society.

I am a member of the Science and Technology Definition Team for NASA’s Lynx concept X-ray observatory, for consideration by the Astro2020 Decadal Survey.

I am excited to be serving as the House Professor for West House, one of Dartmouth’s residential House communities, which opened in fall 2016. Some thoughts on the new House system are in this interview. I was previously a member of the Presidential Steering Committee for Moving Dartmouth Forward, for which the creation of the new House system was top recommendation.

previous positions

As an undergraduate I studied physics at Yale University, and completed my Ph.D. at the Harvard University Department of Astronomy. I was an SAO Postdoctoral Fellow at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. I then served as STFC Postdoctoral Fellow in the Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology Group in the Department of Physics at Durham University.

conferences

In August 2018 our group co-organized, along with colleagues at Durham, a workshop (100 participants) at Durham University on Are AGN Special? The environmental dependence and global impact of AGN activity. An overview of the workshop, oral and poster programs, abstracts, and other details are available at the workshop website.

In August 2016 our group hosted (and co-organized with our colleagues from Durham) an international workshop on “The Hidden Monsters: Obscured AGN and Connections to Galaxy Evolution in the Era of NuSTAR and WISE”. Approximately 100 AGN researchers from around the world came to Hanover to discuss studies of obscured AGN.

In June 2015, our group hosted the annual New England Regional Quasar and AGN Meeting at Dartmouth on Thursday June 4. See the full meeting site for abstract submission, travel details, and other information.

In July-August 2014, our group co-organized, along with colleagues at Durham, a workshop (100 participants) at Durham University on AGN vs. Star Formation: The Fate of the Gas in Galaxies. An overview of the workshop, oral and poster programs, abstracts, and other details are available at the workshop website.

In July-August 2012, I organized (along with Dave Alexander) a workshop (60 participants) at Dartmouth College called Black Hole Feedback 2012. An overview of the workshop, oral and poster programs, abstracts, and other details are available at the workshop website.

I served as chair of the Local Organising Committee for the large international conference (360 participants) on Galaxy Formation at Durham, 18-22 July 2011. An overview of the conference and program are at the conference website.

In July 2010, I organized (along with Dave Alexander) a large workshop (115 participants) at Durham University on What Drives the Growth of Black Holes?. An overview of the workshop, oral and poster programs, abstracts, and other details are available at the workshop website.

outreach

Our group is organizing AstroConnect, a public outreach program that connects scientists to school classrooms via video chat.

As part of an NSF-funded program in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Wyoming, our group has been organizing Order of Magnitude Estimation workshops for teachers.

As part of my STFC Fellowship, I have given a series of public talks at dozens of schools and astronomical societies around the UK.

In fall 2009 I appeared on TV, on the Pulsars & Quasars episode of The Universe on the History Channel.

I visited African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa, as an Expert-in-Residence in astrophysics in March 2009.

personal

I enjoy playing music, skiing, rowing, the New England Patriots, Newcastle United, and traveling with my family.