Todd Hillwig

Education

• Ph.D. in astronomy — Indiana University, Bloomington (2001)
• M.S. in physics — Ball State University (1995)
• B.A. in physics and mathematics — Anderson University (1993)

Biography

Todd Hillwig’s current research investigates binary white dwarf systems, the evolution of close binary stars containing a white dwarf, and planetary nebula central stars. His research is funded by the National Science Foundation, the Space Telescope Science Institute, NASA, and the Indiana Space Grant Consortium. Each summer Prof. Hillwig typically hires between two and four undergraduate students to perform full-time paid research. Those students typically travel to national astronomy conferences to present their research, recently at American Astronomical Society conferences in Pasadena, Seattle, and New Orleans. Prof. Hillwig also presents his work internationally at specialist conferences such as the European White Dwarf workshops (most recently Poland and Germany), Asymmetric Post-Main Sequence Nebulae conferences (most recently Poland and Spain), and Compact White Dwarf Binaries conference (Armenia).

Prof. Hillwig also regularly publishes his work in professional journals such as the Astrophysical Journal, Astronomical Journal, and Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Those published papers also include student coauthors.

Prof. Hillwig teaches across the entire physics and astronomy curriculum from introductory physics and astronomy courses to upper-level physics and astronomy courses for junior and senior physics and astronomy majors.

Interests

Binary stars

• Interacting binary stars
• Massive binary stars
• Circumstellar material
  • Planetary nebulae
  • Nova shells

Memberships

• American Astronomical Society

• Astronomical Society of the Pacific

• International Astronomical Union