Davide Gerosa

Davide Gerosa

University professor - research in gravitational waves and black holes.

Teaching material

Classes I have been teaching and the related material I developed. With a huge thanks to all my students!

Astrostatistics and machine learning

MSc in Astrophysics, Milano-Bicocca

Current material: dgerosa.github.io/astrostatistics

The use of statistics is ubiquitous in astronomy and astrophysics. Modern advances are made possible by the application of increasingly sophisticated tools, often dubbed as “data mining”, “machine learning”, and “artificial intelligence”. This class provides an introduction to (some of) these statistical techniques in a very practical fashion, pairing formal derivations with hands-on computational applications. Although examples will be taken almost exclusively from the realm of astronomy, this class is appropriate for all Physics students interested in machine learning.

Previous editions:

Scientific computing with python

PhD in Physics and Astronomy at Milano-Bicocca

Current material: dgerosa.github.io/scientificcomputing

The python programming language and its library ecosystem are essential tools in modern science. This class provides an advanced introduction to python and its main functionalities, focusing in particular on its applications to computational physics. Targeted topics include: array vectorization with numpy, pretty plotting with matplotlib, scientific recipes with scipy, just-in-time compilating with numba, module packaging, and unit testing. I will also introduce other essential computational tools, notably Mathematica for symbolic manipulation and git for version control. The format will be highly interactive and tailored to the research interests of the participants.

Previous editions:

Machine for physics and astronomy

BSc in Artificial Intelligence, joint Milano-Bicocca + Milano-Statale + Pavia

Current material: dgerosa.github.io/machinelearning4physics

Machine learning and data mining are quickly becoming essential techniques in the field of (astro)physics. Such powerful tools provide precious insights into the laws governing natural processes and shed light on the information contained in experimental datasets. This lab provides a quick introduction to such topics, equipping students with some essential background to apply their data-science knowledge to core physical problems.

Previous editions:

Gravitational waves from compact binaries

Galileo Galilei Institute for Theoretical Physics, Florence

I prepared this material for the PhD school Theoretical Aspects of Astroparticle Physics, Cosmology and Gravitation, which took place in Florence in March 2026.

dgerosa.github.io/gwbinaries_florence_2026/

I cover the principles of gravitational-wave propagation and emission, from the linearized Einstein equations to the quadrupole formula. This formalism is then applied to the specific case of binary black holes, including their dynamics on eccentric orbits and gravitational-wave propagation on cosmological backgrounds. I then cover the theory behind gravitational-wave detectors with laser interferometers. Example classes were delivered by Caroline Owen.

Bayesian inference and stochastic sampling in (astro)physics

Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon

This is a mini-cours I delivered at Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon, in February 2026.

github.com/dgerosa/bayesianinference_lisbon_2026

Extracting knowledge from data—the numbers we measure in physics—requires rigorous statistical inference. This mini-course introduces the fundamentals of Bayesian reasoning and its role in modern scientific analysis. Participants will explore key stochastic sampling methods, including Markov Chain Monte Carlo and, time permitting, nested sampling. The session concludes with a hands-on astrophysics example, guiding students through a complete inference workflow in practice.

General physics for Computer Science majors

BSc in Computer Science at Milano-Bicocca

This is a general physics class covering mechanics, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism, delivered to students majoring in Computer Science at the University of Milan-Bicocca. All class material is in Italian.

Black holes and gravitational waves

PhD in Physics and Astronomy at Birmingham

This class targets PhD students (but interested master’s students can enjoy it too!) and was delivered within the Midlands Physics Alliance Graduate School (MPAGS) together with C. Moore and P. Schmidt.

Year 1 astrolab

BSc in Physics at Birmingham

Astrolab is a first-year undergraduate class in observational astronomy. Unfortunately, the links above require a University of Birmingham account. For a paper describing an older version of the Birmingham Astrolab class, see Elliott (2003).

Other teaching material