In my research I explore a wide variety of theoretical problems in astrophysics, from the high-energy interactions of compact objects, to disk-planet dynamics in protoplanetary systems. The main goal of my research program is to develop an analytic understanding of the complex dynamics and their observable signatures, which can also be used to suggest, complement, and interpret numerical studies. This has included developing a new variational formalism for nonconservative dynamics, applying it to a wide variety of systems, and developing the numerical and analytical tools to exploit the properties of this formulation.