Professor Brandt's interests largely focus on observational studies of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and cosmological X-ray surveys. Specific objects investigated include actively accreting SMBHs (i.e., active galactic nuclei: AGNs), starburst galaxies, and normal galaxies. The work utilizes data from facilities at the forefront of astrophysical discovery, including the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the XMM-Newton satellite, the NuSTAR satellite, and the Hubble Space Telescope.
For further details, I would suggest you watch the YouTube videos in the following two playlists:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwQ-l1lnSF61ebOpVpdUfzwGVRppNb14F
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwQ-l1lnSF63jkuKHFKrN0Ml_Kb0KDF9f
Analysis and interpretation of data from X-ray satellites and other facilities on active galaxies and cosmic surveys.
For success, students will need the following: solid understanding of astronomy and physics, a strong work ethic, knowlege of practically useful statistics, computer programming skills, good writing and communication skills in English, good organizational skills, good attention to detail, and good ability to work collaboratively with others in a team.
My email is wnb3@psu.edu. When contacting me, please send your CV and list of classes (with grades) - these should address my "minimum expectations" listed above.