UC San Diego’s Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics Embraces a New Year of Discovery
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Over the last half-century, the universe has been coming into sharper focus. As technology advances, scientists have reached farther into deep space and further back in time, mapping what was previously uncharted. Since the turn of the century, new discoveries of gravitational waves, black holes and potentially habitable exoplanets have opened up the field of astronomy in unimaginable ways. New space missions and observatories coming online promise even more breathtaking discoveries.
The University of California San Diego is positioning itself as a leader in astronomical research as its new Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics is building a world-class program for faculty-scholars and students.
"It is extremely rare to have the opportunity to create and build a brand new department,” stated Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics Alison Coil, who is also the inaugural chair of the department. “Following the recent creation of our graduate program, we are now able to hire new faculty and develop a modern undergraduate program with an array of new courses for students. It's an immensely exciting time."
This year the department will welcome six new faculty members — a number that may sound small to some, but is noteworthy in the astrophysics community.
“For context, there are more realtors in San Diego than there are astronomers in the world,” said Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics Shelley Wright. “Most astronomy departments get one or two new faculty every couple of years. To get six at once is really unheard of.”
She added, “When we were deciding who to hire, we looked at the hottest topics of the next decade and then hired the best people.”
The six new faculty bring with them research interests that complement the work already being done in the department in areas such as gravitational waves — ripples in space and time caused by massive objects moving at incredible velocities; astrobiology — the study of the origin and evolution of life in the universe; and time-domain astrophysics — the study of changes and evolution in cosmic systems and objects, especially over short time scales (hours or days).
They are:
Floor Broekgaarden: uses data science and statistics to develop the new frontier of “gravitational-wave paleontology,” exploring the formation, lives and deaths of stars
Griffin Hosseinzadeh: studies explosive astronomical events, including supernovae, to understand the last years to months of a star’s life, often using data science tools
Kyle Kremer: studies the dynamics of dense stellar systems, like globular clusters, and the formation of gravitational wave sources and high-energy transients, such as black holes
Eve Lee: a theoretical astrophysicist using a wide range of tools from analytic calculations to numerical simulations to better understand star and planet formation, including the physical processes that drive exoplanet populations
Ethan Nadler: a computational astrophysicist who specializes in galaxy formation, dark matter and near-field cosmology, with a focus on cosmological simulations of dwarf galaxies and dark matter
Samantha Trumbo (‘15, M.S. Scripps Institution of Oceanography): studies the surfaces, atmospheres and potential habitability of ocean worlds like Europa, Ganymede and Enceladus, using data from telescopes and spacecraft exploration missions
The department provides opportunities for hands-on learning such as in Shelley Wright's lab where they work on developing instrumentation for large ground-based telescopes. (cr: Regents of the University of California)
Building a pipeline to the stars
Accomplished, innovative researchers come from innovative degree programs, and creating a program that prioritizes student success and well-being alongside cutting-edge research was important. With its graduate program already up and running, this year the department launched its undergraduate program.
“As we were developing the undergraduate program, we tried to think about not only modernizing the curriculum, but also how best to serve different cohorts of students who have different needs and aspirations," stated Associate Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics Quinn Konopacky, who is the department’s vice chair for undergraduate education.
To accommodate these different aspirations, the department offers both Bachelor of Art (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees. While the B.S. route makes sense for students interested in entering a doctoral program in astrophysics and pursuing research as a career, others might be interested in science communications, public policy or even a dual major. Having both options gives students more control over their academic journey.
Another important consideration was that a third of UC San Diego’s undergraduate population is transfer students, who can have a more challenging time when pursuing science degrees because they don’t have the benefit of spending two years enmeshed in the culture and curriculum of the university. The department specifically developed a course that welcomes and supports transfer students, helping them earn their degrees in two years.
“Transfer students are not an afterthought,” Konopacky stated.
In fact, another program called STARTAstro is also focused on helping transfer students thrive. This regional partnership between UC San Diego, San Diego State University and San Diego's community colleges provides academic and research preparation so transfer students are ready to excel. At UC San Diego, the program is led by Adam Burgasser and Karin Sandstrom, both professors in the department.
The department is also thinking of fun, unique ways to teach astronomy for majors and non-majors alike. Wright is developing a course called Science Fiction in Astronomy that looks at the ways space and astrophysics are depicted in film and literature, while Sandstrom is working on a course about astronomy and civilizations that looks beyond the scope of Western astronomy to include the discoveries and developments of other cultures throughout the history of humankind.
In the coming years, the department will continue to evaluate and evolve its student programming and research portfolio, ensuring that it remains at the forefront of space science research and student success.
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