Jake Simon is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at Iowa State University. He is an expert in computational astrophysics and uses high fidelity simulations and direct comparisons between the output of these simulations and observations to understand the various stages of planet formation. He is particularly interested in magnetically driven accretion processes and turbulence in young, planet-forming disks, as well as the formation of ~1-100 km sized objects, known as planetesimals (e.g., asteroids, comets).
Professional Positions
- Fall 2024–present - Associate Professor, Iowa State University
- 2019–2024 - Assistant Professor, Iowa State University
- 2016–2019 - Senior Research Associate, University of Colorado
- 2013–2016 - NASA Sagan Fellow, Southwest Research Institute
- 2010–2013 - JILA Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Colorado
Education
- University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
- 2010 Ph.D. in Astrophysics, “Local Simulations of Magnetized Accretion Disks”
- 2006 M.S. in Astronomy
- University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL
- 2004 B.S. in Physics