Mouschovias Telemachos (PhD)
Position: Faculty
PhD: 1975, Dept. of Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley, USA
Thesis: Static equilibria of the interstellar gas in the presence of magnetic and gravitational fields
Supervisor(s): George Field
Biography:
Professor Mouschovias received his bachelor degree in physics from Yale University in 1968, and his Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Berkeley in 1975. He joined the University of Illinois as an assistant professor of physics and astronomy in 1977. The long-term goal of Professor Mouschovias research has been to decipher the role of cosmic magnetic fields in the formation of stars. He and his graduate students have made seminal contributions in the field, including the resolution of the angular momentum problem (through magnetic braking) and of the central role of ambipolar diffusion in the fragmentation of molecular clouds and star formation, including the determination of the protostellar 'initial mass function'. His research group made pioneering contributions to our understanding the role of interstellar dust in star formation, not only in determining the degree of ionization in evolving molecular clouds, but also in directly (through collisions) or indirectly (through induced electric fields) coupling the magnetic field to the predominantly neutral matter.
Professor Mouschovias received his bachelor degree in physics from Yale University in 1968, and his Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Berkeley in 1975. He joined the University of Illinois as an assistant professor of physics and astronomy in 1977. The long-term goal of Professor Mouschovias research has been to decipher the role of cosmic magnetic fields in the formation of stars. He and his graduate students have made seminal contributions in the field, including the resolution of the angular momentum problem (through magnetic braking) and of the central role of ambipolar diffusion in the fragmentation of molecular clouds and star formation, including the determination of the protostellar 'initial mass function'. His research group made pioneering contributions to our understanding the role of interstellar dust in star formation, not only in determining the degree of ionization in evolving molecular clouds, but also in directly (through collisions) or indirectly (through induced electric fields) coupling the magnetic field to the predominantly neutral matter.