Contact
Professor, Faculty of Science - Physics
- heinke@ualberta.ca
Overview
Area of Study / Keywords
Astronomy astrophysics black holes neutron stars X-ray binaries
About
BA, Carleton College, MN, USA, 1997
US Peace Corps, Malawi, Central Africa, 1997-1999
PhD, Harvard Univ., MA, USA, 2004
Lindheimer Postdoctoral Fellow, Northwestern Univ., IL, USA, 2004-2007
Research Associate, U. Virginia, VA, USA, 2007-2008
Asst. Professor, U. Alberta, AB, Canada, 2008-2012
Associate Professor, U. Alberta, AB, Canada, 2012-2018
Professor, U. Alberta, AB, Canada, 2018-current
Research
Observational astrophysics, focusing on compact objects (neutron stars, black holes, and white dwarfs), high energy astrophysics (X-rays), and accretion.
Teaching
I have taught upper-level astrophysics courses (Stellar Astrophysics; Galactic & Extragalactic Astrophysics), graduate astrophysics (High-Energy Astrophysics), and introductory physics and astrophysics (Physics 124; Engineering Physics 131; Astrophysics 122). I often take Physics 499 students for small research projects.
Courses
ASTRO 322 - Galactic and Extragalactic Astrophysics
The interstellar medium and interstellar reddening; galactic structure; kinematics and dynamics of stars in galaxies; quasars; introduction of cosmology. Prerequisites: MATH 115, 118, 136, 146 or 156, and one of PHYS 208 or 271. Previous knowledge of astronomy is advantageous.
PHYS 130 - Wave Motion, Optics, and Sound
Geometrical optics, optical instruments, oscillations, waves, sound, interference, diffraction. Prerequisites: Mathematics 30-1, Mathematics 31, Physics 30. Corequisite: MATH 100 or 113 or 114 or 117 or 134 or 144 or equivalent. Restricted to Engineering students. Other students who take this course will receive 3 units.
PHYS 495 - Special Topics in Physics
The course covers specialized topics of interest to advanced undergraduate students. Consult the Department for details about current offerings. Prerequisites depend on the subject. Credit for this course may be obtained more than once.
PHYS 595 - Special Topics in Physics
This course covers specialized topics of interest to junior graduate students. Consult the Department for details about current offerings. Prerequisite: Consent of Instructor. Credit for this course may be obtained more than once.
Featured Publications
W. C. G. Ho, C. O. Heinke
Nature. 462 (7269):71-73