Astronomy & Astrophysics Faculty
UCSC is one of the world's leading centers for both observational and theoretical research in astronomy and astrophysics. The department includes 25 faculty members, whose research interests range from the Solar System and the Milky Way to the most distant galaxies in the Universe and the most fundamental questions of cosmology. There are typically over a dozen postdoctoral researchers in residence, as well as a dedicated and skilled technical staff and a steady stream of visiting scientists. The UCSC department was recently ranked first in the country in research impact, based on citation studies.
UCSC is also a leader in astrophysics education. The department currently enrolls about 35 graduate students working towards the Ph.D. degree. Graduate students benefit from the low student-faculty ratio and extensive research opportunities, as well as course offerings that cover both theoretical and observational aspects of astronomy. UCSC alumni hold positions at leading universities and research institutes around the world. The department offers an undergraduate minor in Astrophysics, and collaborates with the Physics department to offer an undergraduate major in Astrophysics.
- Faculty
- Rebecca Bernstein
- Michael Bolte
- Jean Brodie
- Harland Epps
- Sandra Faber
- Jonathan Fortney
- Raja Guha Thakurta
- Garth Illingworth
- David Koo
- Mark Krumholz
- Gregory Laughlin
- Douglas Lin
- Piero Madau
- Claire Max
- Joseph Miller
- Jerry Nelson
- Xavier Prochaska
- Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz
- Constance Rockosi
- Graeme Smith
- Stephen Thorsett
- Steven Vogt
- Stan Woosley
- Emeritus
- Peter Bodenheimer
- Frank Drake
- John Faulkner
- Burt Jones
- Robert Kraft
- William Mathews
- Lloyd Robinson
- Merle Walker