Prize Talk: Nicholas Metropolis Award for Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Work in Computational Physics: Numerical relativity, gravitational waves, and fundamental physics with charged black holes*

As the observational capabilities of gravitational-wave detectors and telescopes grow, so does the need for more accurate models of the high-energy universe. In this talk, I will introduce the field of numerical relativity, discipline that develops and applies computational techniques to solve the equations of general relativity. I will present my efforts to advance the field to deepen our understanding of strongly gravitating systems. I will discuss new developments in the study of the non-linear interaction between charged black holes and the interplay between extreme electromagnetic and gravitational fields. I will present the first constraints on black-hole charge and specific exotic astrophysical theories using the gravitational wave event GW150914. Then, I will analyze the result of a series of computer experiments to probe foundational ideas in general relativity and high-energy physics.