Andrea Valerio Macciò
Professor of Physics; Global Network Professor of Physics
Affiliation: NYU Abu Dhabi
Education: MB in Physics, University of Milano; PhD in Astrophysics, University of Milano-Bicocca
Research Websites: Galaxy Formation Group Center for Astrophysics and Space Science
Research Areas: Dark Energy, Dark Matter, Galaxies, Black Holes

Professor Andrea Macciò is interested in understanding the nature and origin of the mysterious dark components of our cosmos: dark energy and dark matter, which account for 95 percent of the total energy/matter budget of the universe. In order to achieve this goal, he studies the formation and evolution of galaxies in such a dark universe via large computer numerical simulations.
Professor Macciò's interests include the effect of dark energy on structure formation, the properties of dark matter halos, and the distribution of dark matter within galaxies, the formation of massive galaxies and their super massive black holes.
Professor Macciò graduated in Physics at the University of Milano and then he obtained a PhD in Astrophysics from the University of Milano-Bicocca. As a postdoctoral fellow, he first worked at the University of Zurich and then at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg. Starting from September 2010, he obtained a Group Leader (W2 professor) position from the President of the Max Planck Society and led for five years the "Galaxy Formation in a Dark Universe" group at the Max Planck Institute in Heidelberg.
Professor Macciò joined NYUAD in 2015 as Associate Professor of Physics, At NYUAD, he and his group of researchers will continue to explore how galaxies form and evolve during cosmic times in a dark universe.
Courses Taught
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For thousands of years humans have studied the skies to help them grow crops, navigate the seas, and earn favor from their gods. We still look to the stars today to answer fundamental questions: How did the Universe begin? Will the Universe end, and if so, how? And what is our place in the Universe? Astronomy and Cosmology help us answer these questions. We have learned that our place in the Universe is not special: the Earth is not at the center of the Universe; the Sun is an ordinary star; and the Milky Way is an ordinary galaxy. Astronomers have even suggested that the Universe itself may not be unique. This course aims to understand the Universe from the Big Bang to its future.
Previously taught: Fall 2016, Fall 2017, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024
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Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
Andrea Valerio Maccio - TR 12:45 - 14:00 Taught in Abu Dhabi
This course appears in...
- Core Curriculum > Structures of Thought and Society
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Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
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This course covers electromagnetism at the intermediate level. Electromagnetism is one of the fundamental forces underlying almost any kind of device that we use on a daily basis. Understanding electromagnetism is an indispensable element of a physicist's knowledge. The course introduces Maxwell's equations and their applications to physical problems. Topics in the course include electrostatics, magnetostatics, currents, and the propagation of electromagnetic waves.
Prerequisites: Foundations of Science 1-4
Previously taught: Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024
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Fall 2025;
14 Weeks
MW 09:55 - 11:10 Taught in Abu Dhabi
This course appears in...
- Majors > Physics
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Fall 2025;
14 Weeks
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This course provides a rigorous mathematical introduction to quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics is both a fundamental departure from the classical understanding of the universe and one of the foundational theories on which modern physics is based. Topics include the Schrödinger and Heisenberg description of quantum systems, application to basic atomic structure and simple boundary condition problems, quantum statistics, perturbation theory, and scattering.
Prerequisites: Foundations of Science 1-6 and MATH-UH 1022
Previously taught: Fall 2016, Fall 2017, Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Fall 2020, Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024
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Fall 2025;
14 Weeks
Ingyin Zaw - TR 11:20 - 12:35 Taught in Abu Dhabi
This course appears in...
- Majors > Physics
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Fall 2025;
14 Weeks
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This course is about the behavior of macroscopic systems composed of many particles. Phenomena like the behavior of polyatomic gases, magnetism, thermal radiation, phase changes and many others can be understood through statistical mechanics. Topics include the relation of entropy to probability and energy to temperature, the laws of thermodynamics, Maxwell-Boltzmann, Bose-Einstein, and Fermi-Dirac statistics, equations of state for simple gases, and chemical and magnetic systems, and elementary theory of phase transitions.
Prerequisites: Foundations of Science 1-4
Previously taught: Fall 2016, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024
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Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
Aleksander Rebane - TR 09:55 - 11:10 Taught in Abu Dhabi
This course appears in...
- Majors > Biology > Biophysics
- Majors > Chemistry > Biophysics
- Majors > Physics
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Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
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2 credits
The research seminar provides students with an overview of the diverse multidisciplinary research areas that have captured the interest and fascination of NYUAD physicists and others in related fields. Through exposure to NYUAD faculty research, students will identify areas of interest for their own capstone research and develop and write an in-depth research proposal over the course of the semester. The final capstone proposal is due at the end of the seminar series so that students can begin the Capstone Project in the fall semester of their senior year. All science majors are expected to take this course in their junior year.
Prerequisites: Foundations of Science 1-6 and declared Physics major with Junior standing or higher
Previously taught: Fall 2016, Fall 2017, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024
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Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
Arjun Narayanan - TR 17:00 - 18:15 Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Fall 2025;
14 Weeks
Andrea Valerio Maccio - MW 14:10 - 15:25 Taught in Abu Dhabi
This course appears in...
- Majors > Physics
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Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
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The senior capstone experience in Physics requires students to engage in a long-term, mentored learning experience that culminates in a piece of original research and/or scientific theory. The specific project is developed during their junior year as part of the Research Seminar in Physics.
Prerequisite: PHYS-UH 3090
Previously taught: Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Summer 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024
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Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
Francesco Arneodo - Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
David Russell - Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
Francesco Paparella - Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
Andrea Valerio Maccio - Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
Andrea Valerio Maccio - Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Fall 2025;
14 Weeks
Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Fall 2025;
14 Weeks
Francesco Arneodo - Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Fall 2025;
14 Weeks
Andrea Valerio Maccio - Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Fall 2025;
14 Weeks
Ingyin Zaw - Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Fall 2025;
14 Weeks
Ahmed Almheiri - Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Fall 2025;
14 Weeks
David Russell - Taught in Abu Dhabi
This course appears in...
- Majors > Physics
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Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
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This course is a continuation of Capstone Project in Physics 1. During the Capstone Project in Physics 2, the proposed work comes to fruition in the form of a research paper along the lines of those in leading journals in the field. Students also participate in a capstone research symposium during which they present their work orally.
Prerequisite: PHYS-UH 4001
Previously taught: Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024
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Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
Ingyin Zaw - MW 15:35 - 16:50 Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
Andrea Valerio Maccio - Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
George Shubeita - Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
Francesco Paparella - Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
Francesco Arneodo - Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
Maria Baias - Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
Joseph Gelfand - Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
David Russell - Taught in Abu Dhabi -
Spring 2025;
14 Weeks
Ahmed Almheiri - Taught in Abu Dhabi
This course appears in...
- Majors > Physics
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Spring 2025;
14 Weeks