When Steve Reynolds came to NC State in 1985, he was the only astrophysics professor at the university. Today, astrophysics at NC State is among the nation’s premier research clusters on supernovae and their remnants, thanks in large part to the group’s founding member.
In 2008, Reynolds discovered the remains of the most recent supernova in the Milky Way galaxy. In recent years, he has been part of a select team of scientists helping to interpret some of the first supernova data collected by the powerful NuSTAR satellite, which is providing new information about the structure of these giant exploding stars. Here’s a look around his office in Riddick Hall.
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Reynolds is an accomplished violinist who started playing in the third grade. By middle school, he was performing with the Seattle All-City Orchestra. Later, while working toward his Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley, Reynolds performed for the Oakland Symphony and other professional organizations. He continues to play to this day.Reynolds and his wife, Susan Osborne, work right across the street from each other. Osborne is an education professor at the university who specializes in learning disabilities. The couple are avid supporters of the arts at NC State.Reynolds has taught everything from non-technical astronomy for non-scientists to graduate courses in theoretical physics. He keeps a notebook from each course on the shelves beside his desk.
Reynolds keeps dozens of teabags handy. His favorite is lapsang souchong, one of the oldest black teas in the world. Reynolds is also a procurer of single-malt scotches, but he enjoys those at home.Reynolds keeps this knife (actually just a letter opener) hidden so as not to frighten nervous first-year students. It was a gift from his brother-in-law, an anthropologist who is an expert at crafting knives from animal remains. This one is made from the femur and antler of a reindeer.
