Kirk T. Korista

Photo of Kirk T. Korista
Kirk T. Korista
Professor of Physics and Graduate Advisor
Office: 
(269) 387-4971
Location: 
2226 Everett Tower, Mail Stop 5252
Mailing address: 
Department of Physics
Western Michigan University
1903 W Michigan Ave
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5252 USA
Education: 
  • Ph.D., Astronomy, The Ohio State University, 1990
  • B.S., Astronomy, University of Illinois, 1985
Teaching interests: 
  • Introduction to astrophysics
  • Thermodynamics
Research interests: 
  • Quasar emission line regions
  • Photoionization modeling, spectral synthesis
  • Quasar outflows
Bio: 

Dr. Kirk T. Korista is a professor of astrophysics in the Department of Physics at Western Michigan University and currently serves as the department's graduate advisor.

Korista's research focuses on the physics of the emission line regions of quasars, as well as their gaseous outflows. Quasars are the most powerful long-lived objects in the universe, and are powered by supermassive black holes lying at the centers of galaxies. Korista uses photoionization models to explore the physical conditions of these regions, with the goal of understanding the role of quasars in the evolution of galaxies over cosmic time.