Much of Professor Morris' research is aimed at understanding the innermost regions of our Milky Way Galaxy. This relatively extreme environment is characterized by high densities of stars, gas and energy, strong magnetic fields, and a supermassive black hole. All of this gives rise to a variety of phenomena not evident elsewhere, including stellar collisions, large-scale shocks, powerful magnetohydrodynamic displays, and perhaps a jet from the black hole. Dr. Morris uses radio, infrared, and X-ray observatories to learn as much as possible about this complex region and to elucidate its unusual phenomenology, much of which is likely to be important for understanding active galactic nuclei and galactic evolution.

Professor Morris co-discovered the magnetic filaments that pervade this Galactic region, which led to a new area of research within astronomy. He is also the co-discoverer of the ‘Double Helix’ Nebula , as well as the bipolar X-ray lobes that appear to have resulted from mass outflows near the central black hole. Professor Morris’ other areas of research include mass loss from red giant stars, planetary nebulae, interstellar molecules, and star formation.