Dr. Katelyn Breivik

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Katelyn Breivik is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at Carnegie Mellon University. She received her Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 2018, and her M.S. and B.S. from Northwestern University and Utah State University, respectively. Her research focuses on binary stars, a crucial component in the field of astrophysics, particularly in compact object formation, exoplanet characterization, galaxy formation, and cosmology. Breivik's work lies at the interface of theory, simulations, and data to understand binary-star interactions and how they shape stellar populations during their evolution. She emphasizes the integration of simulations with observational data from electromagnetic surveys like Gaia and gravitational wave observatories like LIGO and LISA. Breivik is also an advocate for reproducibility in science and promotes tools and software to ensure that research outcomes are accessible to the scientific community.

Research Interests

Experience

Assistant Professor

— Present

Carnegie Mellon University • null

Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics.

Research Fellow

— Present

Flatiron Institute's Center for Computational Astrophysics • null

Flatiron Research Fellow focusing on computational astrophysics.

CITA Fellow

— Present

Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics • null

Fellow focused on theoretical astrophysics.

Requirements for Carnegie Mellon University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.5
GRE General
Verbal
Required:158
Quantitative
Required:149
Analytical Writing
Required:4
Overall
Required:4
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Psychology or related field Research experience/publications
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Transcripts
  • GRE scores (optional but reported in profile)
  • English Proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo)
Specialization Notes

Admission is extremely competitive with no strict GPA cut-offs; holistic review is used.