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Eric Perlman

Professor | COES: Department of Aerospace, Physics and Space Sciences

Contact Information

eperlman@barrett-tech.net
(321) 674-7741
F.W. Olin Physical Sciences, 338

Personal Overview

Dr. Perlman is an observational astrophysicist whose research concentrates on the nuclei of galaxies, their physics and evolution, particularly those in which the central black hole has a large rate of accretion and is abnormally active (the so-called active galactic nuclei). He also specializes in the structure and physics of high-velocity outflows from compact objects and AGN, particularly, jets. He also has a strong interest in clusters of galaxies, galactic activity in clusters and observational cosmology. He also has taken an active interest in the intersection of quantum gravity and astrophysics.  He takes a multiwaveband approach to these subjects, and has worked in virtually every energy range from the radio through gamma-rays.  He is also interested in the process of accretion, including events that can temporarily make black holes active (tidal disruption events).  He is also pursuing interests in astrobiology, particularly the impact of active black holes on habitable planets.


Dr. Perlman has a strong record of funding that includes two 5-year NASA Long-Term Space Astrophysics grants and two NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics grants, as well as two dozen approved Hubble and Chandra grants.  He was a member of the AGN science team for CanariCam, a first-light instrument for the Gran Telescopio Canarias, and is now a science team member for MIRADAS, one of the GTC's third-generation instruments.   He has a strong record of service to the astronomical community nationwide as well as to the academic community at Florida Tech.  He oversees the Physics Resource Center, which helps students achieve greater success in physics and space sciences at Florida Tech.

Dr. Perlman came to Florida Tech in 2007 after postdoctoral fellowships at Goddard Space Flight Center and the Space Telescope Science Institute, as well as research staff and research faculty positions at the Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He maintains a large research group that includes typically 3-4 graduate students and 15 undergraduate research assistants. In his spare time, he enjoys chess, singing, scrabble, reading, photography, bicycling and working out.