News
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (04/25/2024) — Researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities College of Science and Engineering co-led a new study by an international team that will improve the detection of gravitational waves—ripples in space and time. The research aims to send alerts to astronomers and astrophysicists within 30 seconds after the detection, helping to improve the understanding of neutron stars and black holes and how heavy elements, including gold and uranium, are produced. The findings w
Research

Researchers advance detection of gravitational waves to study collisions of neutron stars and black holes

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Alerts can now be sent less than 30 seconds after detection.

Drs. Woodward, Skillman, and Citro

UM Investigators Selected as PIs for James Webb Telescope Cycle 3

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UM Investigators Selected as PIs for James Webb Telescope Cycle 3

Coughlin, Criswell, and Citro
Research

Coughlin, Citro, and Criswell part of comprehensive UV light survey

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Assistant Professor Michael Coughlin, postdoctoral researcher Annalisa Citro, and graduate student Alexander Criswell of the Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics are part of a new mission that has just been selected to conduct a comprehensive survey of ultraviolet light spanning the entire sky

Anderson and Puschell, MIFA Alunni
Awards

Two astrophysics Alumni elected to National Academy of Engineering

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Two astrophysics Alumni Martha C. Anderson (Ph.D., Astrophysics ‘93), Kei May Lau (B.A.,’76, M.S. ‘77), and Jeffrey Puschell (Ph.D., Astrophysics ‘79), have been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) for 2024.

Michael Coughlin
Research

Assistant Professor Michael Coughlin has been awarded a 2024 McKnight Land-Grant Professorship

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Assistant Professor Michael Coughlin has been awarded a 2024 McKnight Land-Grant Professorship, which recognizes outstanding accomplishments and promise among the University's assistant professors.

Image of the galaxy Haro 11. The stars in the galaxy, shown in white, is surrounded by a halo of ionized gas in red. The newly imaged neutral Hydrogen gas, shown in blue, has been displaced during an interaction between two galaxies that resulted in the creation of Haro 11.

Observations of Dramatic Galactic Collision Unlock Clues to the Reionization of the Universe

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An international team, led by Dr. Alexandra Le Reste from Stockholm University and the Oskar Klein Centre, used the MeerKAT radio telescope to investigate processes at the origin of the Epoch of Reionization, a crucial period occurring a billion years after the Big Bang. The study, made possible by MeerKAT's increased sensitivity relative to older telescopes, reveals how galaxy mergers might have influenced the transformation of the Universe during this epoch.

Herschel Medal

Professor Emerita Roberta Humphreys receives Herschel Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society for 2024

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Herschel Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society for 2024

Picture of a man

Kaufmanis Lecture this November

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How to Take a Photo of a Black Hole

Dr. Kristen McQuinn
Awards

Roman space telescope mission head from UMN

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Dr. Kristen McQuinn is a UMN astrophysics Ph.D. who has been selected to be the Roman space telescope mission head.

Dr. Carr with his poster
Awards

Dr. Carr took home the grand prize in the physical sciences division

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Dr. Carr took home the grand prize in the physical sciences division - a travel stipend worth up to $2000.