John J. Ruan

Bishop's University Department of Physics Johnson Building Room 2 2600 College Street Sherbrooke, QC Canada   J1M 0C8 Phone : Fax : Email: jruan@ubishops.ca Office : Johnson 104C

Research field : multi-messenger astrophysics, kilonovae, gamma-ray bursts, cosmic neutrinos, active galactic nuclei variability AGN variability, accretion state transitions, AGN/X-ray binary connection electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational waves & cosmic neutrinos

Description of the research project:
John's current research focuses on multi-messenger astrophysics. The breakthrough detection of the first binary neutron star merger GW170817 in both 'cosmic messengers' of light (using telescopes across the electromagnetic spectrum) and gravitational waves (using laser interferometers) heralded the dawn of a new era of multi-messenger gravitational wave astrophysics. John is particularly interested in using multi-messenger observations of these compact object mergers to characterize the properties of the associated kilonovae, understand the origin of the heaviest elements on the periodic table, and measure the Hubble constant through gravitational-wave cosmology. John also works on multi-wavelength observational investigations of the origins of variability in active galactic nuclei, especially the extreme variability observed in changing-look quasars and flaring blazars. These phenomena probe the structure of the accretion flows and relativistic jets surrounding the central black hole, and may be associated with the emission of high-energy neutrinos.