Astronomy Graduate Research

The CHARA team getting CHARA ready for observing (Dr. Gail Schaefer on the right).

“GSU has the unique privilege to own and operate the Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy array, where six telescopes are used simultaneously to deliver the highest resolution visible and near-infrared images in the world. With a resolution already ten times that of future Extremely Large Telescopes, every time we observe, we see something new. With several high-impact Nature papers written by CHARA graduate students, an environment where you’ll learn cutting-edge software and hardware tricks, and friendly CHARA collaborators all over the world… do I need to say more for you to consider CHARA for your PhD ? !” — Associate Professor Fabien Baron

Dr. Doug Gies is the director of the Center for High Angular Resolution (see also above under the Stellar Astronomy section).

Dr. Fabien Baron is a world expert in high angular resolution imaging. Interferometric imaging at CHARA makes it possible to obtain images of stars and their environments at a much higher resolution than any other optical observatory in the world. Dr. Baronʼs algorithms are used to image the detailed surfaces of stars and of dust-and-gas discs where planets are forming.

A team of a dozen people led by Dr. Gail Schaefer is permanent stationed at CHARA (Mount Wilson, CA). Multiple opportunities to pursue an instrumental PhD are available.

INSTRUMENTATION & REMOTE SENSING

“The Instrumentation and Remote Sensing for Space Sciences team conduct research that is focused on two branches of the field of remote sensing: Astronomy and Space Domain Awareness. Typically, the techniques and instrumentation we develop in one branch have application in the other. Working with our group offers the opportunity to work in a cross-disciplinary team with strong ties to researchers both outside of the academic world and internationally.”
— Professor Stuart Jefferies

“Prof. Stuart Jefferies and I are working closely with our graduate students in our optics lab to develop instrumentation for NASA and JPL projects, on computers to create new algorithms to image stars & planets & galaxies through the atmospheric turbulence, and at our local observatory to test if this actually works. Also we’re quite funny, join us!”
— Associate Professor Fabien Baron

Dr. Stuart Jefferies works on multiple projects related to remote sensing, Solar physics, and planetology. He founded the University-wide Imaging Hub, an interdisciplinary collaboration of researchers on

Dr. Fabien Baron works closely with Dr. Stuart Jefferies to develop new algorithms for imaging and is the Director of the Hard Labor Creek Observatory where instruments are tested (see also above under the CHARA section).

Professor Stuart Jefferies at the South Pole.

The Remote Sensing and Instrumentation group.

STELLAR ASTRONOMY

“Our program is extremely strong in Stellar Astronomy: from broad surveys to new images of stars and their environments, new students are sure to find projects that spark their interest!“. — Professor Todd Henry, Director of RECONS

Dr. Todd Henry studies the smallest and most abundant stars in our galaxy, the M dwarfs. He leads the RECONS consortium, an international collaboration of astronomers devoted to identifying and accurately measuring the physical properties of all the stars and brown dwarfs within 80 light years of the Sun.

Dr. Russel White studies the formation of evolution of stars and planets. He does this by using a variety of observational techniques to precisely measure the properties of stars and constrain theories of stellar evolution. These precisions measurements are also leading to the discovery of the youngest planets known.

Dr. Sebastien Lepine is an expert in large astronomical surveys and data-mining techniques. He maintains a catalog of 2.5 million stars closest to the Sun, identifying the best systems to search for exoplanets. He also studies the motions of stars near the Sun, and how these can retrace the formation and history of our galaxy.

Dr. Doug Gies studies the most massive stars in our galaxy, the OB stars. These are often found in systems of two or more stars, are sometimes surrounded by massive spinning disks, and generate powerful winds that replenish and churn out the interstellar clouds from which new stars are born.

Professor Todd Henry smiling at nearby stars.

Professor Piet Martens with his favorite equations.

SOLAR PHYSICS & THE SOLAR-STELLAR CONNECTIONS

“The Solar physics group has opportunities for graduate students to work on data analysis from current advanced NASA spacecraft, carry out cutting edge numerical simulations of the Sun and stars using the nations’ most high powered computers, develop innovative new instrumentation and take part in observing runs in Antarctica and Hawaii. Solar physics students have the opportunity to become part of the astro-informatics cluster, an interdisciplinary group between computer science and astrophysics that uses the methods of Data Analytics to address big data challenges in solar and stellar physics. Our group meets weekly, with grad students from both sides present, and our current focus is on forecasting space weather, the prime societally relevant challenge for solar physics. Graduate students in this group take classes in both disciplines and have found themselves in high demand on the job market.”
— Professor Piet Martens

Dr. Piet Martens works on monitoring the Sun’s surface phenomena. Together with Prof. Angryk (Computer Science) and research scientist Dr. Georgoulis they constitute the core of the astro-informatics cluster.

Dr. Stuart Jefferies works on developing instrumentation for observing the Sun (see also above under the Remote Sensing section).

Dr. Viacheslav Sadykov works on the development and maintenance of databases of solar flares and flight radiation measurements, prediction of solar transient events using machine learning, machine learning-aided analysis of the spectroscopic observations of the Sun, modeling of solar spectral lines and EUV emission, and analysis of the realistic radiative MHD simulations of the quiet Sun.