About Us

The astronomy group has active research programs in the areas of Stellar Populations, Supernovae, Galaxy Evolution, Cosmology, and Astronomical Instrumentation. We use observations from a variety of telescopes to study individual stars in our own Milky Way as well as in nearby galaxies, to track how galaxies assemble over cosmic time, and to understand how the Universe evolves. We also explore the nature of dark matter by testing current theoretical models. Texas A&M is a founding member of the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) consortium and is designing and building instruments for current telescopes and the GMT.

Our astronomy graduate students are very passionate about pushing for change, leading the way and working with faculty and staff to make the department a better environment. To learn more about the efforts of our graduate students, and the astronomy group in general, visit our Diversity & Climate page. Additionally, visit our Code of Conduct page.

The Program

Created in 2006 to be part of the then-called Department of Physics, the astronomy group has quickly gained recognition for its high research output, large success in bringing in grants, majority involvement in department-focused service, and the high caliber scientists that make up its membership. Our Astronomy graduate program (offering MS & PhD degrees) received state approval in mid-2016. It is also possible to pursue a Physics degree, if desired.

Meet Our People

Check out our amazing faculty, postdocs, and graduate students that make up the astronomy group!

• faculty
• postdocs
• grads

The Community

We have a small and vibrant community, one which is supported by many activites and by passionate people. The postdocs, researchers, and graduate students in particular have formed a supportive, inclusive community. To learn more about this, check out our Community page!

A recent tradition started among the graduate students is the act of the newly-minted PhDs passing on parting advice and wisdom to their former fellow grads. The wisdom can be anything they want, from encouragement to cautionary tales to life advice. We hope this wisdom can benefit all who read it — and for any students interested in our program, reading this wisdom can hopefully give you insight into the community that our graduate students hold with each other.