IWR News New IWR Member: Dr. Dylan Nelson
January 29, 2026
Dylan Nelson has joined the Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing (IWR) as a new member.
The research group of Dr. Dylan Nelson specializes in computational galaxy formation and evolution, designing and carrying out numerical simulations to better understand how galaxies grow across cosmic time. In particular, we seek to understand how gas flows: in to, out of, and around galaxies. To do so we pursue theoretical modeling of galaxy formation, the cosmic baryon cycle, cosmological gas accretion, the circumgalactic medium, and energetic feedback processes.
What is the origin, structure, and physics of the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of galaxies? What is the impact of baryonic feedback, driven by supernovae and supermassive black holes, on the CGM and baryon cycle? What are the observable signatures of cold (molecular/neutral), warm (ionized), and hot (e.g. x-ray emitting) gas in the interstellar medium (ISM) within galaxies, the circumgalactic medium (CGM) and intracluster medium (ICM) surrounding galaxies, and the intergalactic medium (IGM) on large scales? How can we develop novel computational methods to simulate the circumgalactic medium?
The group studies these questions through numerical simulations, predominantly run with AREPO, a finite volume hydrodynamics code based on a moving unstructured mesh. It has helped lead several field-leading simulation projects, including IllustrisTNG, TNG50, and TNG-Cluster.
