AJ Poelarends

AJ Poelarends

‍

Dr. Arend (AJ) Poelarends joined Anselm House in 2022, coming from Wheaton College (IL) where he was Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy, managed the Wheaton College Astronomical Observatory, and co-directed the Wheaton College Field Station in the Black Hills (South Dakota). 

‍

Areas of Interest

Stellar evolution; Nucleosynthesis; Cosmology; Exoplanets and Extra-terrestrial Life; Human Spaceflight; Epistemology; Philosophy of Science; Science and Religion; Biblical Theology; The Big Questions

‍

Research

My expertise is in the area of the the pre-supernova evolution of stars at the borderline of neutron star and white-dwarf formation. My PhD (Computational Astrophysics, Utrecht University, the Netherlands) was on deepening our understanding of the various causes that affect this borderline in single-star evolution, while later work has focused on the effects of binary evolution on the properties of these so-called Electron-Capture Supernovae, results that might be important to understand the progenitor systems of Double Neutron Stars (possible gravitational wave sources). Together with my students, I have also done observational work on exoplanets. 

‍

I’ve always been interested in the Big Questions, especially those at the intersection of science, philosophy, and theology. It is for this reason that I pursued an additional degree in theology (MDiv) to be much better equipped to participate in these discussions. Where do we come from and where are we going? What is life and what is flourishing? What is knowing? What is the mind and how does it work? What is the nature of reality? What is beauty? What is meaning? These kinds of questions continue to intrigue me, and hence Anselm House is a perfect place for me, to join and invite others in this journey.

‍

About Me

I have taught courses across the undergraduate curriculum in Physics and Astronomy, as well as field courses in Astronomy and Meteorology and general education courses in Astronomy and Cosmology. I regularly speak for a variety of audiences, including amateur astronomy clubs, college classes, student groups, and Christian churches and ministries. I love spending time outside, and am committed to commuting by bike to work (even in the Minnesota winter!). My family and I live in Northeast Minneapolis, and love it there!

‍

Selected Publications

Poelarends, Arend J. T., Wurtz, S., Tarka, J., Adams, C., Hills, S.T., Electron Capture Supernovae from Close Binary Systems, The Astrophysical Journal, 12/2017, Volume 850, Issue 2, article id. 197, 21 pp. (link)

‍

Suijs, M. P. L., Langer, N., Poelarends, A. J., Yoon, S.-C., Heger, A., Herwig, F., White dwarf spins from low-mass stellar evolution models, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Volume 481, Issue 3, 04/2008, pp.L87-L90. (link)

‍

Poelarends, A. J. T., Herwig, F, Langer, N., Heger, A., The Supernova Channel of Super-AGB Stars, The Astrophysical Journal, 03/2008, Volume 675, Issue 1, pp. 614-625. (link)

‍

Podsiadlowski, Ph., Langer, N., Poelarends, A. J. T., Rappaport, S., Heger, A., Pfahl, E., The Effects of Binary Evolution on the Dynamics of Core Collapse and Neutron Star Kicks, The Astrophysical Journal, 09/2004, Volume 612, Issue 2, pp. 1044-1051. (link)

‍