Gravitational wave researcher
Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz is a professor of astrophysics, astronomy, and earth sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz.[1][2][3]
Early life and education
Ramirez-Ruiz was born and raised in Mexico City.[2][3][4] His parents were both chemists and academics.[3] Ramirez-Ruiz completed his undergraduate studies in physics at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.[2] He completed his doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge.[2]
Career
Ramirez-Ruiz holds the Vera Rubin Presidential Chair in Physics and Astronomy at the University of California, Santa Cruz.[2] He was a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study.[2] He was inducted to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2020 and the Mexican Academy of Sciences in 2010.[1][4][5] In 2021, he was awarded the Dwight Nicholson Medal for Outreach by the American Physical Society.[2]
Ramirez-Ruiz founded the Lamat Institute at the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2009 to provide research opportunities in STEM for undergraduates who want to transfer to four-year universities and attend graduate school.[3][6] The philosophy of the Lamat Institute is based on the promotion of mentorship and critical analyses of society.[6] In February 2022, Ramirez-Ruiz received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring for creating the Lamat Institute and expanding research programs in STEM.[3][7]
As a theoretical astrophysicist, Ramirez-Ruiz studies violent astrophysical processes relating to the growth of substances on neutron stars and black holes.[2][4][8] He established a framework for organizing and analyzing new data from astronomical instruments, such as telescopes and surveys.[4] Ramirez-Ruiz's work also includes the use of computer models that simulate the death of stars.[2][4][8] His work has contributed to larger efforts relating to the universe's origin.[2][8]
