Dr. John Peterson

Associate Professor

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Biography

John Peterson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Purdue University. He earned his B.A. in Physics from the University of Chicago in 1997, followed by an M.A. and M.Phil. from Columbia University in 1999 and 2000, respectively. He completed his Ph.D. at Columbia University in 2003. His professional history includes a position as a Graduate Research Assistant at Columbia University and a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Stanford University/SLAC from 2003 to 2006. He then joined Purdue University as an Assistant Professor from 2006 to 2012 before becoming an Associate Professor. Peterson’s research interests lie in observational cosmology, focusing on integrated observational studies of galaxy clusters, dark energy, dark matter, and optical astrophysics. He is actively involved in simulation work and has developed the Photon Simulator (PhoSim) code. He has published numerous refereed publications discussing topics such as weak lensing analysis, X-ray spectroscopy, and Monte Carlo simulations in astrophysics. Peterson continues to contribute to the field through teaching and mentorship within the Purdue University Physics and Astronomy Department.

Research Interests

Experience

Associate Professor

— Present

Purdue University • West Lafayette, IN

Teaching and conducting research in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Assistant Professor

— Present

Purdue University • West Lafayette, IN

Teaching and conducting research in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Postdoctoral Research Associate

— Present

Stanford University/SLAC • Stanford, CA

Conducted advanced research in astrophysics.

Graduate Research Assistant

— Present

Columbia University • New York, NY

Conducted research towards Ph.D. in Physics.

Requirements for Purdue University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Total
Required:80
GRE Subject
Prerequisites
Knowledge of general physics Intermediate level mechanics Electricity and magnetism Statistical and thermal physics Quantum mechanics
Application Checklist
  • Completed Application Form
  • Application Fee
  • Academic Statement of Purpose
  • Official Transcripts
  • Physics and Math Course Listing Form
  • Three Letters of Reference
  • Personal History Statement
Specialization Notes

GRE General and Physics Subject tests are optional but encouraged.