Bio

I was born in the Soviet Union and graduated from the Mathematical School No. 444  (Moscow). After receiving my PhD in Physics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel) in 2005, I was a postdoctoral fellow at the Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor). In August 2007, I joined the Department of Physics at Oakland University (Rochester, Michigan). I am married to Julia and have two children, Tali and Daniel.

Research Directions

• • Modeling the spread of epidemics on networks

  • Collective cell behavior in biological systems (cell migration; mechanical effects in tissue growth; tumor growth)

  • Front propagation in continuum and discrete systems

  • Instabilities in driven granular gases and dense granular flows

  • Rare events in physical and biological systems

  • Pattern formation and nonlinear dynamics

See Research page for more details.

Summer physics program for high school students

Since 2022, I am running the popular summer physics program for advanced high school students. In a series of lectures on quantum physics, I am discussing revolutionary ideas in physics that were developed in the beginning of the 20th century. Additionally, OU physics faculty present their scientific research in a series of seminars. More details about the program can be found on this website and on the Department of Physics website.

Colloquium

Since 2008, I have been the organizer of the Department of Physics weekly colloquia. Our colloquia take place on Thursdays at noon.