Education
- Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara (1989)
- B.A., Cornell University (1984)
Professional Interests
Dr. Watkins' research interests include Astrophysics, Cosmology, and Particle
Physics. His current research is focused primarily on measuring flows of
galaxies though the Universe on very large scales. Basically, galaxies are
pulled by gravity into regions where matter is concentrated and out of regions
that are relatively empty. By studying these motions one can learn how the
matter in the Universe is distributed, and how this distribution is changing in
time. This information can, in turn, be used to test models of how the Universe
has evolved, thus illuminating such issues as dark matter and dark energy.
Recent Publications
* Indicates undergraduate co-author.
Richard Watkins, Trey Allen*, Collin James Bradford*, Albert Ramon Jr.*, Alexandra Walker*, Hume A. Feldman, Rachel Cionitti*, Yara Al-Shorman*, Ehsan Kourkchi, and Brent Tully (2023). Analyzing the Large-Scale Bulk Flow using CosmicFlows4: Increasing Tension with the Standard Cosmological Model, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 524, 1885.
Elcio Abdalla et al. (2022). Cosmology Intertwined: A Review of the Particle Physics, Astrophysics, and Cosmology Associated with the Cosmological Tensions and Anomalies, Journal of High Energy Astrophysics, 34, 49.
Yuyu Wang, Sarah Peery*, Hume A. Feldman, and Richard Watkins (2021). Improved Methods for Estimating Peculiar Velocity Correlation Functions Using Volume Weighting, The Astrophysical Journal, 918, 49.
Yuyu Wang, Nesar Ramachandra, Edgar M. Salazar-Canizales, Hume A. Feldman, Richard Watkins, and Klaus Dolag (2021). Peculiar Velocity Estimation from Kinetic SZ Effect using Deep Neural Networks, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 506, 1427.
Sarah Peery*, Richard Watkins, and Hume A. Feldman (2018). . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 481, 1368.
Yuyu Wang, Christopher Rooney*, Hume A. Feldman, and Richard Watkins (2018). . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 480, 5332.
Benjamin Mow*, Erik Reinhart*, Samantha Nim*, and Richard Watkins (2016). . The Astronomical Journal. 152, 17.
R. Watkins and H.A. Feldman (2015). , Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 450, 1868.
R. Watkins and H.A. Feldman (2015). . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 447, 132.
D.L. Wiltshire, P.R. Smale, T. Mattson, and R. Watkins (2013). . Physical Review D. 88, 083529.
E. Macaulay, H.A. Feldman, P.G. Ferreira, H.J. Jaffe, S. Agarwal, M.J. Hudson, and R. Watkins (2012). . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 425, 1709.
S. Agarwal, H.A. Feldman, and R. Watkins. (2012). . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 424, 2667.
S.J. Turnbull, M.J. Hudson, H.A. Feldman, M. Hicken, R.P. Kirshner, and R. Watkins. (2012). . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 420, 447.
E. Macaulay, H.A. Feldman, P.G. Ferreira, M.J. Hudson, and R. Watkins. (2011).. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 414, 621.
H.A. Feldman, R. Watkins, and M.J. Hudson. (2010). . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 392 756.
R. Berry. D. Gray, J. Green, D. Medley, N. Rebol, and R. Watkins. (2009). Photometry of XX Cygni at Pine Mountain Observator: Summer Research Workshop 2009. Small Telescopes and Astronomical Research, eds. R. Genet, J.M. Johnson and V. Wallen, Collins Foundation Press.
R. Watkins, H.A. Feldman, and M.J. Hudson. (2009). . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 392, 743.