Interstellar Medium, Molecular Clouds, Star Formation & Evolution, Supernovae & Their Remnants, Long Gamma-ray Bursts, Cosmic Rays
Image credit: ALMA / ESO / NAOJ / NRAO / Alexandra Angelich, NRAO / AUI / NSF.
Stars are the fundamental building blocks and probes of the Universe. They are formed in stellar nurseries enshrouded by dust and gas, and end their lives in violent explosions, creating some of the most captivating events one can witness. Faculty in CIERA study, model, and observe many stages of a star’s life from birth to death, the planets formed around them, how they impact their environments, as well as the compact remnants they leave behind.
Research at CIERA
Evolving to the end states of stellar evolution, Professor Fong’s team uses radio and optical observations to study and model relativistic explosions called gamma-ray bursts and their host galaxy environments, probing star formation from the local neighborhood to the high-redshift Universe. Professor Tchekhovskoy uses state-of-the-art simulations to study the formation of relativistic jets in core-collapse gamma ray bursts.
Opportunities
Deadline: 11:59pm, November 15, 2021
Image credit: Rubin Obs/NSF/AURA The LSSTC Catalyst Fellowship Funded by the John Templeton Foundation is a unique postdoctoral fellowship providing support for independent research in big data from the forthcoming Vera C. Rubin Observatory. The fellowship is a part of the LSST Interdisciplinary Network for Collaboration and Computing (LINCC) initiative, in which Northwestern is a
Deadline: 11:59pm, November 22, 2021
The Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) at Northwestern University invites applications for CIERA Postdoctoral Fellowships. CIERA Fellows have the opportunity to pursue an independent research program and benefit from a diverse and dynamic intellectual environment.
Deadline: 11:59pm, November 22, 2021
Northwestern University expects to offer postdoctoral associate positions in observational astronomy and astrophysics starting in fall 2022. These positions will be part of the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) at Northwestern. Successful applicants will benefit from interaction with a broad interdisciplinary group of researchers and will be immersed in a diverse and dynamic intellectual environment.
Deadline: 11:59pm, November 22, 2021
Northwestern University expects to offer postdoctoral associate positions in theoretical astronomy and astrophysics starting in fall 2022. These positions will be part of the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) at Northwestern. Successful applicants will benefit from interaction with a broad interdisciplinary group of researchers and will be immersed in a diverse and dynamic intellectual environment.
Deadline: 11:59pm, December 16, 2021
We invite applications for a postdoctoral scholar to join Northwestern’s Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) and the leadership of the LSSTC Data Science Fellowship Program (DSFP). The DSFP Postdoctoral Fellow will divide their time equally between conducting an independent research program in data science in astronomy/astrophysics, while continuing the development and growth of the DSFP.
News
Gallery
Brainstorm: What stars can tell us about the universe
Brainstorm: What stars can tell us about the universe
Brainstorm is a podcast by the Daily Northwestern which looks into scientific facts and fiction and the reasons why we believe in them. When you look up at the night sky, do you ever wonder where all those stars came from? Host Neya Thanikachalam spoke to CIERA’s Jeff Andrews to find out. The Daily Northwestern
- Science
SGRB 161104A Environment
SGRB 161104A Environment
The surrounding environment of SGRB 161104A, which includes a galaxy cluster. Image taken by the Magellan Telescopes. Learn more.
Nugent et al. 2020
Kilonova Explosions and Magnetars
Kilonova Explosions and Magnetars
Professor Wen-fai Fong is interviewed for The Cosmic Companion and talks about her work studying kilonova explosions and collisions of neutron stars.
- Science
GRB 200522A
GRB 200522A
This image shows the glow from a kilonova caused by the merger of two neutron stars. The kilonova, whose peak brightness reaches up to 10,000 times that of a classical nova, appears as a bright spot (indicated by the arrow) to the upper left of the host galaxy. The merger of the neutron stars is
- Science
Josiah Schwab; Astrophysics Seminar Recording
Josiah Schwab; Astrophysics Seminar Recording
Dr. Josiah Schwab presents “1 + 1 = 1: Single White Dwarfs from Double White Dwarf Mergers.” Dr. Schwab is a postdoctoral scholar at UC Santa Cruz. This seminar is part of the Astrophysics Seminar series at CIERA.
CIERA
- Event,
- Science
SN 2019ehk
SN 2019ehk
Artist’s interpretation of the calcium-rich supernova 2019ehk. Shown in orange is the calcium-rich material created in the explosion. Purple coloring represents gas shedded by the star right before the explosion, which then produced bright X-ray emission when the material collided with the supernova shockwave. Learn more: Calcium-rich supernova examined with X-rays for first time
Aaron M. Geller, Northwestern University
People
Core Astronomy Faculty
Faculty
Kari Frank
Director of Operations of CIERA, Research Assistant Professor
Postdocs
Patrick Sheehan
NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Fellow
Graduate Students
