Dr Karim Malik

Reader in Theoretical Cosmology
Email: k.malik@qmul.ac.ukTelephone: 020 7882 3422Room Number: G. O. Jones Building, Room 510Office Hours: Tuesday 1130 - 1230 (or just email me)
Profile
I'm a Reader in Theoretical Cosmology at Queen Mary University of London. My main research interest is theoretical cosmology, in particular cosmological perturbation theory at linear order and beyond.
I finished my PhD at the University of Portsmouth in 2000, followed by postdocs at the IAP in Paris as a Marie-Curie Fellow and the University of Lancaster. I joined Queen Mary University of London in 2007. I have degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Stuttgart and a BSc in Mathematical Physics from the University of Sussex.
Undergraduate Teaching
I am teaching SPA7028U Advanced Cosmology in Semester B.
Postgraduate Teaching
I am teaching SPA7028P Advanced Cosmology in Semester B.
Research
Research Interests:
The main focus of my research is cosmological perturbation theory. My work these days focuses mainly on non-linear and second-order perturbation theory, but besides that I am also interested in inflationary cosmology, large scale structure formation, and early universe physics. I have also worked on preheating, primordial black holes, braneworld models, and instabilities in astrophysical fluids.
Examples of research funding:
• 2020 – 2023: PI on Perren Fund studentship, total value £150,000 at QMUL, 01/10/2020 – 30/09/2023
• 2020 – 2023: PI on Consolidated Grant ST/T000341/1, total value £2,345,552 at QMUL, 01/04/2020 – 31/03/2023
• 2017 – 2020: CoI on Consolidated Grant ST/P000592/1, total value £1,533,698 at QMUL, 01/04/2017 – 31/03/2020
• 2016 – 2017: CoI, on PAPIIT-UNAM grant “Observables en Cosmologia Relativista”, period 01/2016 to 12/2017, value 332,019 Pesos (ca. £12,400), at QMUL and UNAM
• 2015 – 2018: CoI on Consolidated Grant ST/M001202/1, total value £1,522,261 at QMUL, 01/01/2015 – 31/03/2018 (this grant replaced by more recent Consolidated Grant)
• 2014 – 2015: CoI, on PAPIIT-UNAM grant “Fluctuaciones no-lineales en Cosmologia Relativista”, period 01/2014 to 12/2015, value 322,817 Pesos (ca. £12,000), at QMUL and IUNAM
• 2014 – 2016: CoI, on Programa de Apoyo a Proyectos de Investigacion e Innovacion Tecnologica (PAPIIT), started 2014 (until 2016), value 190,000 Pesos (ca. £8,900) p.a., at QMUL and IUNAM
• 2012 – 2015: CoI on Consolidated Grant ST/J001546/1 (previous standard grants have been amalgamated into Consolidated Grant, total value £1,632,102.00) at QMUL
• 2010: CoI, STFC research grant ST/H002855/1 (acting-PI June 2010 – September 2010) started 01/01/2011 (Postdoc D. Mulryne), value £400,361, at QMUL
• 2009: CoI, Direccion General de Asuntos del Personal Acad´emico (DGAPA) grant IN116210
(held in Mexico), started 2010 (until 2012), value 200,000 Pesos p.a., at QMUL and IUNAM
• 2008: PI, STFC research grant ST/G002150/1, 01/01/2010 – 31/12/2012 (Postdoc I. Huston), value £401,546, at QMUL
• 2006: PI, Heisenberg Stipendium (5-year German research fellowship), declined, at Bielefeld University
• 2001: EU Marie Curie Individual fellowship HPMF-CT-2000-00981, at IAP Paris
Publications
- Martinez-Carrillo R, Hidalgo JC, Malik KA et al. (2021), Contributions from primordial non-Gaussianity and general relativity to the galaxy power spectrum $nameOfConference
- Fuentes JL, Hidalgo JC, Malik KA (2021), Galaxy number counts at second order in perturbation theory: A leading-order term comparison $nameOfConference
- Carrilho P, Malik KA (2021), The intrinsic bispectrum of the CMB from isocurvature initial conditions $nameOfConference
- Fuentes JL, Hidalgo JC, Malik KA (2021), Galaxy number counts at second order: An independent approach $nameOfConference
- Martinez-Carrillo R, De-Santiago J, Hidalgo JC et al. (2020), Relativistic and non-Gaussianity contributions to the one-loop power spectrum $nameOfConference
- Clifton T, Gallagher CS, Goldberg S et al. (2020), Viable Gauge Choices in Cosmologies with Non-Linear Structures $nameOfConference
- Carrilho P, Malik KA, Mulryne DJ (2019), Dissecting the growth of the power spectrum for primordial black holes $nameOfConference
- Carrilho P, Malik KA (2019), Magnetogenesis from isocurvature initial conditions $nameOfConference
- Malik KA, Matravers DR (2019), How Cosmologists Explain the Universe to Friends and Family $nameOfConference
- Carrilho P, Malik KA (2018), Isocurvature initial conditions for second order Boltzmann solvers $nameOfConference
- Wren AJ, Malik KA (2017), Double power series method for approximating cosmological perturbations $nameOfConference
- Leithes A, Malik KA, Mulryne DJ et al. (2017), Linear density perturbations in multifield coupled quintessence $nameOfConference
- Goldberg S, Clifton TA, Malik K (2017), Cosmology on all scales: A two-parameter perturbation expansion $nameOfConference
- Christopherson AJ, Hidalgo JC, Rampf C et al. (2016), Second-order cosmological perturbation theory and initial conditions for N -body simulations $nameOfConference
- Carrilho P, Malik KA (2016), Vector and tensor contributions to the curvature perturbation at second order $nameOfConference
- Christopherson AJ, Nalson E, Malik KA (2015), A short note on the curvature perturbation at second order $nameOfConference
- Nalson E, Huston I, Malik KA et al. (2015), Quantifying the behaviour of curvature perturbations near horizon crossing $nameOfConference
- Christopherson AJ, Malik KA (2015), Vorticity from isocurvature in the early universe $nameOfConference
- Leithes A, Malik KA (2014), Conserved quantities in Lemaitre-Tolman-Bondi cosmology $nameOfConference
- Nalson E, Christopherson AJ, Malik KA (2014), Effects of non-linearities on magnetic field generation $nameOfConference
- Torres-Lomas E, Carlos Hidalgo J, Malik KA et al. (2014), Formation of subhorizon black holes from preheating $nameOfConference
- Malik KA, Matravers DR (2013), Comments on gauge-invariance in cosmology $nameOfConference
- Hidalgo JC, Christopherson AJ, Malik KA (2013), The Poisson equation at second order in relativistic cosmology $nameOfConference
- Firouzjahi H, Green AM, Malik KA et al. (2013), Effect of curvaton decay on the primordial power spectrum $nameOfConference
- Nalson E, Christopherson AJ, Huston I et al. (2013), Quantifying the behaviour of curvature perturbations during inflation $nameOfConference
- Christopherson AJ, Carlos Hidalgo J, Malik KA (2013), Modelling non-dust fluids in cosmology $nameOfConference
- Brown IA, Christopherson AJ, Malik KA (2012), The magnitude of the non-adiabatic pressure in the cosmic fluid $nameOfConference
- Christopherson AJ, Malik KA, Matravers DR et al. (2011), Comparing two different formulations of metric cosmological perturbation theory $nameOfConference
- Huston I, Malik KA (2011), Second order perturbations during inflation beyond slow-roll $nameOfConference
- Christopherson AJ, Malik KA, Matravers DR (2011), Estimating the amount of vorticity generated by cosmological perturbations in the early universe $nameOfConference
- Christopherson AJ, Malik KA (2011), Can cosmological perturbations produce early universe vorticity? $nameOfConference
- Alabidi L, Malik K, Byrnes CT et al. (2010), How the curvaton scenario, modulated reheating and an inhomogeneous end of inflation are related $nameOfConference
- Brown IA, Behrend J, Malik KA (2009), Gauges and cosmological backreaction $nameOfConference
- Christopherson AJ, Malik KA (2009), Practical tools for third order cosmological perturbations $nameOfConference
- Huston I, Malik KA (2009), Numerical calculation of second order perturbations $nameOfConference
- Christopherson AJ, Malik KA, Matravers DR (2009), Vorticity generation at second order in cosmological perturbation theory $nameOfConference
- Christopherson AJ, Malik KA (2009), The non-adiabatic pressure in general scalar field systems $nameOfConference
- Malik KA, Wands D (2009), Cosmological perturbations $nameOfConference
- Josan AS, Green AM, Malik KA (2009), Generalized constraints on the curvature perturbation from primordial black holes $nameOfConference
- Malik KA, Matravers DR (2008), A concise introduction to perturbation theory in cosmology $nameOfConference
- Malik KA, Seery D, Ananda KN (2008), Different approaches to the second-order Klein-Gordon equation $nameOfConference
- Lidsey JE, Malik KA (2008), Scaling cosmologies from duality twisted compactifications $nameOfConference
- Seery D, Malik KA, Lyth DH (2008), Non-Gaussianity of inflationary field perturbations from the field equation $nameOfConference
- Malik KA (2007), A not so short note on the Klein-Gordon equation at second order $nameOfConference
- Zaballa I, Green AM, Malik KA et al. (2007), Constraints on the primordial curvature perturbation from primordial black holes $nameOfConference
- Malik KA, Lyth DH (2006), A numerical study of non-Gaussianity in the curvaton scenario $nameOfConference
- Lyth DH, Malik KA, Sasaki M et al. (2006), Forming sub-horizon black holes at the end of inflation $nameOfConference
- Malik KA (2005), Gauge-invariant perturbations at second order: multiple scalar fields on large scales $nameOfConference
- Lyth DH, Malik KA, Sasaki M (2005), A general proof of the conservation of the curvature perturbation $nameOfConference
- Malik KA, Wands D (2005), Adiabatic and entropy perturbations with interacting fluids and fields $nameOfConference
- Green AM, Liddle AR, Malik KA et al. (2004), New calculation of the mass fraction of primordial black holes $nameOfConference
- Malik KA, Wands D (2004), Evolution of second-order cosmological perturbations $nameOfConference
- Gupta S, Malik KA, Wands D (2004), Curvature and isocurvature perturbations in a three-fluid model of curvaton decay $nameOfConference
- Gordon C, Malik KA (2004), WMAP, neutrino degeneracy, and non-Gaussianity constraints on isocurvature perturbations in the curvaton model of inflation $nameOfConference
- Malik KA, Rodriguez-Martinez M, Langlois D (2003), Defining perturbations on submanifolds $nameOfConference
- Malik KA, Matravers DR (2003), The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in an expanding universe and its effect on dark matter $nameOfConference
- Malik KA, Wands D, Ungarelli C (2003), Large-scale curvature and entropy perturbations for multiple interacting fluids $nameOfConference
- Bridgman HA, Malik KA, Wands D (2002), Cosmological perturbations in the bulk and on the brane $nameOfConference
- Green AM, Malik KA (2001), Primordial black hole production due to preheating $nameOfConference
- Bridgman HA, Malik KA, Wands D (2001), Cosmic vorticity on the brane $nameOfConference
- Green AM, Malik KA (2001), Primordial black hole production due to preheating $nameOfConference
- Malik KA, Wands D, Lyth DH et al. (2001), Superhorizon perturbations and preheating $nameOfConferenceDOI: 10.1063/1.1363528
Supervision
This is not an exhaustive list and I would be happy to discuss other project possibilities.
Project Title
Frontiers of Precision Cosmology
Modern observational cosmology is built around a model of the universe that includes linear perturbations around an otherwise spatially homogeneous and isotropic background. In order to gain the maximum possible benefit from current and future observations, however, it will be necessary to understand and use second and higher-order perturbation theory. For more details click here .
Early Universe Physics
In the standard model of modern cosmology the very early universe underwent a period of extremely rapid expansion, known as inflation. This period of expansion provides the initial conditions that are necessary to explain the temperature fluctuations in the Cosmic Microwave Background, as well as the seeds of structures that later grow to become galaxies and clusters. For more details click here
Public Engagement
I enjoy outreach activities.
Recently I published the popular cosmology book, together with Prof. David Matravers,
"How Cosmologists Explain the Universe to Friends and Family"
(published by Springer in 2019).