Ed Cackett (ew1397)

University information

Title: Associate Dean 12mth
Unit: Physics & Astronomy
Department: College of Liberal Arts & Science

Contact information

313-577-9355
337 Physics Research Bldg.
666 W Hancock St
Detroit, 48201

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Title: Distinguished Service Professor
Secondary Title: Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, CLAS
Phone: 313-577-9190
Office:

Office of the Dean, 2155 OId Main
Physics, 337 Physics Research Building

Biography:
  • Associate dean for research and graduate studies, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Wayne State University, July 2024 onwards
  • Distinguished service professor, Wayne State University, June 2024 onwards
  • Chair, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Wayne State University, August 2023 - July 2024
  • Interim chair, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Wayne State University, August 2022 - July 2023
  • Professor, Wayne State University, August 2022-June 2024
  • Associate professor, Wayne State University, 2016-2022
  • Assistant professor, Wayne State University, 2012-2016
  • Postdoctral research fellow, Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, 2010-2011
  • Schlumberger research fellow, Darwin College, University of Cambridge, 2010-2011
  • Chandrafellow, University of Michigan, 2008-2010
  • Dean MacLaughlin postdoctoral fellow, University of Michigan, 2006-2008
Research interest(s)/area of expertise:

Astrophysics of compact objects (neutron stars and black holes), more specifically:

  • Accretion across the mass scale: from neutron stars and black holes in X-ray binaries to Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN)
  • Accretion disks around supermassive black holes
  • Reverberation mapping in AGN (optical, UV and X-ray) and X-ray binaries (X-ray)
  • Reflection and reverberation in neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries
  • Observational probes of the neutron star dense matter equation of state (neutron star radii and masses)
  • Accretion at low rates and quiescent emission from neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries
Research:
Education:
  • Ph.D., University of St Andrews, UK, 2007
  • M. Sci., University of Durham, UK, 2003
Awards and grants:
  • WSU Career Development Chair (2017)
  • WSU Department of Physics & Astronomy Richard J. Barber Faculty Recognition Award (2017)
  • NSF CAREER award (2014)
  • Wayne State Academy of Scholars, Junior Faculty Award (2015)
  • Sultana N. Nahar Prize for Distinction in Research in Physics and Astronomy, Wayne State University (2019)
Selected publications:

As of April 2024: 214 articles published in peer-reviewed journals.

An up-to-date lists of publications can be found using the following links:

Citation index:
  • More than 11,700 total citations
  • h-index: 62 (as of April 2024)
Ed Cackett

Planetarium

Title: Associate Professor of Astronomy, Chair of Planetarium Advisory Board
Phone: 313-577-9355
Primary E-mail: ecackett@wayne.edu
Ed Cackett

Courses taught by Ed Cackett

Fall Term 2024 (current)

Winter Term 2024

Fall Term 2023

Fall Term 2022

Winter Term 2022

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