Elena González Prieto

I am an Astronomy PhD candidate at Northwestern University, advised by Prof. Fred Rasio at the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA).

My research focuses on the dynamical evolution of dense stellar environments, such as globular and nuclear star clusters, with an emphasis on the formation and growth of intermediate-mass black holes. I develop Monte Carlo N-body simulations and incorporate machine learning methods to predict stellar collision outcomes across a wide dynamical range.