Westfield resident now Ph.D candidate in astrophysics

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Westfield resident Josh Wanninger has earned a Master of Science degree in Physics and Astronomy from the University of Wyoming, marking another significant milestone in his academic career.

Wanninger

This summer, he continued his studies as a Ph.D. candidate in Astrophysics at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, where he will pursue advanced research in stellar astrophysics.

Wanninger earned his bachelor’s degree in Astrophysics and Astronomy from Butler University. Throughout his undergraduate and graduate education, he completed multiple research internships, including an internship with NASA. His research has also taken him to Europe and Asia, where he collaborated with scientists on international astrophysics projects.

A two-time published author, Wanninger’s research focuses on developing robust methods for analyzing large-scale stellar data and simulating stellar evolution. Using theoretical models such as MESA (Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics), he works to better understand the underlying physics of stars and improve how they are classified through physics-based definitions of stellar variability. His work contributes to a deeper understanding of how stars evolve and the processes that shape our universe.

He is the son of Kurt and Tami Wanninger of Westfield.