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Present research interests cover both the nuclear shell model and the study of shape phase transitions as well as shape coexistence in atomic nuclei.

Within the shell model, we aim at understanding variations in the average potential and the related changes in closed shell configurations when moving away from the region of beta-stable nuclei. At present, results have been obtained for monopole shifts in the odd-mass Cu nuclei approaching the N=50 region. Similar studies are carried out for the Bi and Tl nuclei (at Z=82), for the Sb nuclei (near Z=50) and for the light sd shell nuclei near Z=8.

The study of shape coexistence in the Pb region is a research topic of particular interest. Recent results on the presence of collective bands in very neutron-deficient ^186,188Pb have been obtained, and this work results from close collaboration with experimentalist from Jyvaskyla and the IKS,Leuven. A Trento workshop is planned for the early fall of 2005 to highlight our present understanding and formulate new experiments and theoretical work for the coming years.

The intriguing nuclear properties in transitional nuclei such as the Sr,Zr nuclei near N=58,60 and the Sm,Gd nuclei near N=88,90 are studied in close collaboration with J.Wood and collaborators. This topic is placed in the more general context of quantum shape phase transitions in nuclei with a finite number of nucleons. We intend to concentrate on the correlation between the presence of shape coexisting configurations and the appearance of phase transitions.