Massimo Ricotti is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Astronomy at UMD and director of the Center for Theory and Computation (CTC). His main interests are theoretical cosmology and structure formation in the early universe. He uses supercomputer simulations to understand feedback processes that regulate the formation of the first stars, black holes and galaxies.

Research Projects

• Formation of the first galaxies and black holes regulated by feedback processes
• Evolution of the intergalactic medium and reionization
• Near field cosmology as a test of the nature of dark matter and physics in the early universe
• Constraints on high-energy physics from astronomical observations, including primordial black holes and ultracompact minihalos (PLUMs)

Notable Publications

• Ricotti, M. & Ostriker, J.P. 2004 "X-ray Pre-ionisation Powered by Accretion on the First Black Holes. I: a Model for the WMAP Polarisation Measurement", MNRAS, 352, 547
• Ricotti, M., Gnedin, N. Y., & Shull, J. M. 2002 "The Fate of the First Galaxies. II. Effects of Radiative Feedback" ApJ, 575, 49-67