INTRODUCTIONS 

Front page portrait

   Welcome to my personal website!

   I am a PhD candidate in Astrophysics at the University of California – San Diego↗ . I’m interested in pursuing projects where I can apply computational methods onto Astrophysics research. My current work focuses on galaxy and dark matter simulations.

   Outside of research, I am determined to uplift emerging scientists and lower the barrier to theoretical sciences. Beyond academics, I enjoy traveling, hiking, and photography, and I’m also an avid gamer.

   Feel free to look around, explore my research↗ and art blogs↗, or access my contact information↗ and CV↗ here.

 RESEARCH INTERESTS 

   I have done a wide array of research projects in different fields of astrophysics. My research blog↗ details those works, but here is a brief synopsis:

Computational Astrophysics

  • Semi-Analytical model
  • Magneto-Hydrodynamical Simulations
  • Structure Formation

Cosmology

  • Reionization
  • High Redshift Dwarf Galaxies
  • Dark Matter & Dark Energy

Topical Interests

  • Strong Lensing
  • Dwarf Galaxies
  • Stellar Streams
  • CGM and Feedback

 BACKGROUND 

   I am natively from Beijing, China. I was selected into the Zaopei program of the RDFZ↗ middle school, where I developed an interest in science and specifically astronomy. I subsequently went to the United States for high school, and spent my formative years in Pittsburgh. After graduating from Shady Side Academy↗ with a Summa Cum Laude, I attended the University of Chicago↗ with a B.S. in Astrophysics and graduating with honors.

 ART 

   I am also an amateur photographer who mostly enjoys landscape and astrophotography shots. You can see a more detailed collection of my works in my art blogs↗. Additionally, I post some of the pieces on my instagram (@jasonwu_21↗) and art (@jwu_arts↗) accounts, so feel free to give them a follow if you are interested in seeing more of my works.

   Besides photography, I also enjoy making digital pieces in my free time. Pixel art, with its nostalgic charm, challenges me to express detailed ideas within the constraints of limited resolution and color-palletes, while vector art allows me to fuse my appreciation for technology into artistic expressions.

Gallery

Cherry blossoms

Stills: Cherry Blossoms, 2023

Streets of Rome

Landscapes & Architecture: Rome at Sunset, 2024

Long Exposure Astrophotography of Chile

Astrophotography: The Milky Way atop Chile, 2024

Pixel Apple

Pixel Arts: Ripe apple, 2022

Vector solar system

Vector Art: Solar system, 2022

 OTHER INTERESTS 

   In my free time, I've taken up running and ultimate frisbee for sports. I also love to hike (when in more hikable areas). I read occassionally and my favorite author is George Eliot. I also take interest in philosophies of Lacan and Nietzsche. I am additionally an avid gamer with a focus on indie games. Titles such as Stardew Valley and Hollow Knight especially appeal to me for their art, gameplay freedom, and rich narratives.

 Contacts