In a major milestone for Illinois State University’s Department of Physics, the first two graduates of the new physics M.S. program are both heading to globally renowned doctoral programs.

This fall, Andy Santarelli and Dany Yaacoub will continue their graduate studies at Yale University and the University of Toronto, respectively. Both students earned bachelor’s degrees in physics at Illinois State in 2023 and remained at the University to enroll in the new physics M.S. program.

Launched in 2024, the physics M.S. was designed to offer rigorous technical training and research mentorship to prepare graduates for Ph.D. study and a wide range of careers. The program will complement the new Engineering program and is part Illinois State’s rapidly growing footprint in STEM research and teaching.  

Santarelli and Yaacoub both completed their theses in the Computational Astrophysics Lab (CAPLAB), the research group headed by Physics Professor Matt Caplan and were supported by Dr. Caplan’s grants from the Research Corporation for Scientific Advancement and the Simons Foundation to study neutron stars and black holes.

Both students made extensive use of Illinois State’s new high-performance supercomputing cluster for their research. “It is a delight to hear that (the supercomputing cluster) has become a campuswide engine for breakthrough discovery, powering work that now sends our master’s graduates to Yale and Toronto, bringing national visibility for our faculty and their research,” said Charles Edamala, associate vice president for Technology Solutions and chief technology officer.

Andy Santarelli to pursue Ph.D. in astronomy at Yale University

Originally from Rochester, Santarelli followed an unconventional academic path, earning a B.A. in music recording from Columbia College before returning to study physics at Illinois State in 2021. His research focuses on black hole “accretion”—how black holes eat and grow—using computer simulations.

As a graduate student, Santarelli co-authored three peer-reviewed journal articles and a book chapter. His thesis, Stellar Evolution Modeling of Exotic Stars With Central Black Holes, includes the first detailed study of “Hawking stars” and has drawn media attention, including coverage by PBS Space Time.

This fall, he will continue his research in the astronomy Ph.D. program at Yale, joining the group of Professor Earl Bellinger, his co-author and longtime collaborator. “We’re very excited to have Andy join us,” said Dr. Bellinger. “This may have been one of the most competitive years for graduate admissions in history, but Andy’s application rose to the top.”

Before heading to Yale, Santarelli will remain at Illinois State over the summer to finalize a publication on quasi-stars, hypothetical objects that may explain the origins of supermassive black holes in the early universe. His undergraduate research assistant, Claire Campbell, recently received a 2025 Goldwater Scholarship for her contributions to this work and will continue collaborating with Santarelli this summer.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the mentorship I received from Profs. Caplan and Bellinger,” said Santarelli. “And I’m eager to continue working with them for my Ph.D.”

Dany Yaacoub to pursue Ph.D. in physics at University of Toronto

A native of Aurora, Yaacoub holds the distinction of being the first student to enroll in Illinois State’s physics M.S. program.

Yaacoub’s research studies the diffusion of atomic nuclei in complex plasmas using large-scale computer simulations. His thesis, Universal Diffusion in Coulomb Crystals, follows his eponymous publication in Physical Review Letters, the world’s preeminent physics journal. His work demonstrates that the motion of charged particles in these systems can be predicted from just two numbers, a result with wide-reaching implications for studies of neutron stars and white dwarf stars. His second paper was recently published in Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society.

This fall, he will begin his Ph.D. in physics at the University of Toronto, considered one of the “Canadian Ivies,” where he will join the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics. There, he will work with world-leading astrophysicists Bart Ripperda and Chris Thompson on plasma physics and high-energy astrophysical phenomena. The University of Toronto ranks among the top institutions globally, currently No. 17 in U.S. News & World Report‘s global universities ranking and No. 12 in space science.

Yaacoub will remain at Illinois State for the summer, using the time to train new graduate students and finish preparing some papers for his other projects to submit to journals.

“Finding my way into the graduate program here was unexpected,” said Yaacoub. “But I’m thankful that it happened, and I owe a huge thanks to those here at ISU that helped me along the way: Dr Caplan, all the faculty in the department, and more.”

Faculty reflections

“We built this program to bridge undergraduate training and doctoral research,” said Professor Dan Holland, chair of the Department of Physics. “Andy and Dany’s successes show we’re achieving exactly that. We couldn’t be prouder.”

Caplan, who advised both students, added: “Andy and Dany exemplify what’s possible when you combine talent with mentorship and opportunity. Their acceptances into such prestigious Ph.D. programs are a testament to both their strength and the strength of ISU’s emerging physics graduate program.”

Students interested in applying for the physics M.S. program can find more information on the department website or by contacting Physics@IllinoisState.edu.