Interview with Dr. Christopher Kauffman

Christopher Kauffman is a postdoc at Mathematics Münster. He specialises in partial differential equations and general relativity.

What is your research area and which scientific question are you currently working on?
I'm working in partial differential equations, with a focus on problems arising from general relativity. I'm looking at the behavior of waves near rotating black holes. Specifically, when you look at the behavior of these waves, you immediately run into the issue that the energy might be focused in a certain region, called the photon sphere, for an arbitrarily long amount of time. I'm working with Gustav Holzegel on a slight modification of the traditional wave equation which throws this problem into sharp relief, and looking for a way to analyze the equation that works around the issue.

Who benefits from your research findings?
This is probably not surprising, but it would probably be most beneficial to physicists. We can't fully determine how a particular phenomenon will behave near a black hole, but partial stability results like the one I'm working on will hopefully allow people to paint a fuller picture of what's happening.

Have you always wanted to become a mathematician and researcher?
I think I've seen it as a possibility as far back as I can remember. I've always liked mathematics, but I think I only actively started pursuing it when I was in University.

At which institutions did you do your studies and further research stays?
I did my undergraduate studies at the University of Rochester, in western New York, then went to graduate school at Johns Hopkins University. After I graduated, I briefly worked at Southern Methodist University, then moved to England to work at Imperial College London.

What are the most beautiful aspects about being a mathematician and a researcher for you?
I think the most beautiful aspect is its ability to unify problems coming from many different areas, so that you can hopefully find a framework that gives deeper insight into multiple problems at once.

Which were the reasons for you to come to Münster and the Cluster of Excellence Mathematics Münster?
Back when I was at Imperial College London, I was working as a postdoc under Gustav Holzegel. When he started working here, he wanted to set up a research group quickly, so he invited me to join him.

You have started at the University of Münster during the Corona pandemic: Which challenges did you have to overcome and how does the pandemic affect your current work?
I moved here knowing only a little German, so the language barrier has been I think the most persistent challenge. Navigating the rental market has also been somewhat of a pain. Beyond that, everything's gone very smoothly. The city is beautiful, as is the surrounding countryside, and the public market is very nice. I hope to be able to see more of the city soon!

I think the thing that has stood out most im my current work is that you can't casually bounce ideas or questions off people like you could before the pandemic. Everything has to be a bit more deliberate.