Gregory Sivakoff, PhD, MSc, BSc

Associate Professor, Faculty of Science - Physics

Contact

Associate Professor, Faculty of Science - Physics
Email
sivakoff@ualberta.ca
Phone
(780) 492-7992
Address
2-113 Centennial Ctr For Interdisciplinary SCS II
11335 Saskatchewan Drive NW
Edmonton AB
T6G 2H5

Overview

About

BSc/BA (2000) Brandeis University, USA
MSc (2001) University of Manchester, UK
MSc (2003) University of Virginia, USA
PHd (2006) University of Virginia, USA
Postdoctoral Researcher, The Ohio State University, USA, 2006-2008
Research Associate, University of Virginia, USA, 2008-2011
Assistant Professor, University of Alberta, 2011-2017
Associate Professor, University of Alberta, 2017-present
Associate Chair of Research (Physics), 2018-present



Research

My primary research focuses on multi-wavelength observations of white dwarfs, neutron stars, stellar-mass black holes, and super-massive black holes (Active Galactic Nucleii), with a strong focus on those sources that are transient and/or variable. My other research interests include the transient radio-through-sub-mm Universe, globular clusters, the intergalactic medium, and data mining. I also have strong interests in Education & Public Outreach.


Teaching

Teaching Areas:

Astronomy, Physics


Teaching Philosophy:

  • I want to share the excitement of astronomy with all of my students.
  • Mastering concepts is more important than simple memorization.
  • Mathematics and problem solving are essential skills, regardless of your major.

Mentoring:

I am a strong believer in mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, whether as their official supervisor or as an unofficial mentor.
Please feel free to contact me if you are interested.

Courses

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.


Browse more courses taught by Gregory Sivakoff

Scholarly Activities

Research - Very Large Array Sky Survey

As co-chair of the Transients Science Working Group for the Very Large Array Sky Survey, I am working to maximize the scientific and outreach success of this three-epoch seven-year survey of the (northern) sky visible from New Mexico.

Science Webpage

Publications

Disc-jet coupling in the 2009 outburst of the black hole candidate H1743-322

Author(s): James C. A. Miller-Jones, Gregory R. Sivakoff, et al.
Publication: The Astrophysical Journal
Volume: 421
Issue: 1
Page Numbers: 468-485
External Link: https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article-lookup/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.20326.x

The Low-Mass X-Ray Binary and Globular Cluster Connection in Virgo Cluster Early-Type Galaxies: Optical Properties

Author(s): Gregory Sivakoff et al.
Publication: The Astrophysical Journal
Volume: 660
Issue: 2
Page Numbers: 1246-1263
External Link: http://iopscience.iop.org/0004-637X/660/2/1246/

Multimessenger observations of a flaring blazar coincident with high-energy neutrino IceCube-170922A

Author(s): IceCube Collaboration et al. (997 Authors)
Publication: Science
Volume: 361
Issue: 6398
Page Numbers: eaat1378
External Link: http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6398/eaat1378

An Accurate Geometric Distance to the Compact Binary SS Cygni Vindicates Accretion Disc Theory

Author(s): James C. A. Miller-Jones, Gregory R. Sivakoff, et al.
Publication: Science
Volume: 340
Issue: 6135
Page Numbers: 950-952
External Link: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/340/6135/950.full

Strong disk winds traced throughout outbursts in black-hole X-ray binaries

Author(s): B. E. Tetarenko, J.-P. Lasota, C. O. Heinke, G. Dubus & G. R. Sivakoff
Publication: Nature
Volume: 554
Page Numbers: 69
External Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature25159

A rapidly changing jet orientation in the stellar-mass black-hole system V404 Cygni

Author(s): Miller-Jones, James C. A., Tetarenko, Alexandra J., Sivakoff, Gregory R., et al.
Publication: Nature
Volume: 569
Issue: 7756
Page Numbers: 374-377
External Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1152-0