Dennis Bodewits
Department of Physics
Associate Professor

Research Areas: Laboratory Astrophysics

Office: Leach Science Center 2121

Address: 380 Duncan Drive
Auburn, AL 36849

Phone: 334-844-4274

Email: dzb0059@auburn.edu

Website


Education
Ph.D. Laboratory Astrophysics, Nuclear Accelerator Institute (KVI), University of Groningen, The Netherlands
2007
M.Sc. Astrophysics, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
2003
M.Sc. Experimental Physics, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
2003


Professional Employment
Associate Professor, Auburn University
2018 - Present
Associate Research Scientist, University of Maryland
2017 - 2018
Assistant Research Scientist, University of Maryland
2011 - 2017
Postdoctoral Scientist, University of Maryland
2010 - 2011
NASA Postdoctoral Fellow, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
2007 - 2010


Honors and Awards
Dean’s Award for Outstanding Faculty Undergraduate Mentor
2024
Auburn University Endowed Alumni Professor
2023 - 2028
Dean’s Faculty Research Award
2023
Minor planet (10033) Bodewits, International Astronomical Union
2017
NASA Group Achievement Award (Comet Siding Spring Observing team), NASA Headquarters
2015
NASA Group Achievement Award (Comet Modelling, Prediction, and Assessment team), NASA Headquarters
2015
NASA Group Achievement Award (EPOXI Science Team), NASA Headquarters
2011
Van Swinderen Thesis Prize, Dutch Royal Physical Society (KNG)
2007


Professional Activities
Proposal reviewer for several NASA programs
Referee for several journals (Nature, Astronomical Journal, Astrophysical Journal, Icarus, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Earth, Moon and Planets, Physical Review A, Planetary and Space Science, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Review of Scientific Instruments, Journal of Quantative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer)
Member of the American Astronomical Society (AAS)
Member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU)
Member of the American Geophysical Union (AGU)


Research and Teaching Interests

My research centers on the activity and evolution of comets and asteroids. What processes affect the observable gas surrounding comets? How are they connected to the formation of our solar system? How do they evolve through I try to answer these questions by combining telescopic observations with in-situ exploration by planetary missions (Rosetta, EPOXI, and Stardust NExT). My primary tools are Neil Gehrels-Swift Observatory, the James Webb Space Telescope, and the Hubble Space Telescope. 



Selected Publications







Last updated: 05/12/2024