Static and Dynamic Properties of Medium-Mass and Heavy Nuclei: From Phenomenology to Microscopic Descriptions

Nuclear structure and reaction theory has seen tremendous advances in the past couple of decades. Innovative theory frameworks for describing the quantum-mechanical many-body system, increasingly powerful computational tools, and the prospect of confronting theory predictions with data on exotic unstable nuclei, have been driving the field. An important goal of the theory efforts is the move from phenomenological descriptions of nuclear properties to predictive theories based on microscopic frameworks. Throughout their careers, David Rowe and George Rosensteel delivered research works that were instrumental in making this transition. They provided connecting points between the phenomenology and microscopic approaches, making clever use of symmetry concepts that enabled technical breakthroughs and deep mathematical insights into successful descriptions of nuclei. I will discuss ongoing research aimed at integrating microscopic descriptions of nuclear structure into reaction predictions for medium-mass and heavy nuclei. I will highlight areas where Rowe and Rosensteel made important contributions and offer some thoughts on future directions.