CIERA

CIERA DSFP Postdoctoral Associate 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 LSST-DA Data Science Fe...

Join us! CIERA - Northwestern University is seeking a Postdoctoral Associate to join the LSST Discovery Alliance Data Science Fellowship Program (DSFP) and conduct cutting-edge research in astronomical survey science. Learn more and apply by April 1: bit.ly/40hYttP

Synthetic Biology in Space: NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins Visits Northwestern On February 3, 2026, Microbiologist and retired NASA astronaut Kate Rubins visited Northwestern University to give a special seminar on conducting biology in space, from experimental design in microgr...

CIERA and @NUSynBio were thrilled to host astronaut-scientist Kate Rubins @NorthwesternU. Rubins shared how she became the first person to sequence DNA aboard the International Space Station—and how space biology can help solve challenges on Earth. bit.ly/4aROSjp

Final call! Just 5 days left to apply to our Summer Research Experience for High School Students program.

Join us 3 weeks of hands-on astronomy research, Python training, and mentorship from professional astronomers.

Tuition aid available.

Learn more: bit.ly/4p33EI2

Less than 2 weeks left to apply!

Summer Research Experience for High School Students
* 3 weeks of hands-on astronomy research
* Learn Python and work with professional astronomers
* Tuition aid available | No experience needed

Apply now: bit.ly/4p33EI2

🚨Event alert for the New York community! Astrophysicist Vicky Kalogera, director of @NUCIERA will give the Simons Foundation Presidential Lecture on March 4 from 6-7PM EST
🔗 Learn more and register: bit.ly/4aRoXHn
#Astrophysics #GravitationalWaves @SkAI_Institute

CIERA’s Allison Strom awarded Sloan Fellowship The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has named Northwestern University’s Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics  member Allison Strom, assistant professor in the Department of...

We are thrilled to share that CIERA faculty member Allison Strom has been awarded a 2026 Sloan Research Fellow in Physics! Congratulations Allison! bit.ly/4qXjVzd

Summer, but make it astrophysics.

Our 3-week, in-person program for high school students combines hands-on astronomy research with mentorship and Python programming.

No experience needed. Tuition aid available. Apply by March 9.

Learn more and apply: bit.ly/4p33EI2

CIERA's Alex Edison has been named a Scientific Software Research Faculty Fellow by the Simons Foundation. The fellowship provides institutional support and a research allowance to strengthen long-term scientific software development in academia. Congrats Alex! bit.ly/4aRdDfz

CIERA Alumna Sarah Wellons Joins New Class of Cottrell Scholars Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) alumna Sarah Wellons, assistant professor of astronomy at Wesleyan University, has been named a recipient of the 2026 Cott...

We’re proud to share that CIERA alumna Sarah Wellons has been named a 2026 Cottrell Scholar by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement. Sarah is now an assistant professor of astronomy at Wesleyan University. bit.ly/4tDLRL1

High school students: explore astronomy this summer at CIERA’s REACH! Hands-on research, Python coding, mentorship & lectures. Tuition help available. Apply by March 9!

Learn more and apply: bit.ly/4p33EI2

📣 Calling All STEM Educators!
Join us for Bringing the Universe to Your Classroom, a Professional Development Workshop designed for STEM teachers across disciplines. 2/17, 10-2PM
🎓 Eligible for ISBE PD credit hours
💻 Virtual option available
planitpurple.northwestern.edu/event/638791

CIERA REU Student Aster Winkler Wins AAS Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Award Aster Winkler, a participant in CIERA’s 2025 Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program, has received a prestigious Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Student Award from the American Astronomi...

Proud to share that CIERA REU student Aster Winkler won the AAS Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Award! 🎉 Mentored by Tjitske Starkenburg, Aster’s work used Roman Space Telescope simulations of globular cluster streams. tinyurl.com/mvxmuaz6

Join us this Friday for the first CIERA Astronomer Evening of 2026!
CIERA's Gideon McFarland will speak about telescopes, and Caroline von Raesfeld will give a talk on how elements are made in stars. Telescope viewing will follow.
Dearborn Observatory 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Only a couple days left to apply to CIERA’s Summer 2026 REU at Northwestern! 9-week interdisciplinary astrophysics research, $6,300 stipend, housing & travel included. Deadline: Jan 30. Apply: sites.northwestern.edu/cierareu

🎉 Congratulations to CIERA Director Vicky Kalogera, recipient of Northwestern’s Daniel I. Linzer Award for Faculty Excellence in Service! The award will be presented Feb 16, 2026, at the Faculty Awards Reception. 👏 #CIERA #FacultyExcellence

Deadline approaching: Applications to the Summer 2026 CIERA REU at Northwestern are due Jan 30!

9-week interdisciplinary astrophysics research experience, $6,300 stipend + housing & travel.

Apply: sites.northwestern.edu/cierareu

Cheers to Tim Kovachy and Andrew Geraci from @NUCIERA at the first URIC Research Impact Day! They shared how gravitational-wave astronomy is expanding beyond LIGO, using new quantum and optomechanical detectors to explore previously unreachable frequencies. #astronomy

Applications for the Summer 2026 CIERA REU at Northwestern are due Jan 30! 9-week interdisciplinary astrophysics research experience, $6,300 stipend + housing & travel. Learn more & apply: sites.northwestern.edu/cierareu

Now accepting applications for REACH, our 3-week summer program for high schoolers! Learn astronomy, research skills, & Python, no prior experience needed. Tuition assistance available. Apply by March 9, 2026: bit.ly/4p33EI2

Ray Jayawardhana Appointed Caltech's Tenth President The Johns Hopkins University provost, renowned astrophysicist, and award-winning author will begin as the Institute's leader on July 1, 2026.

Exciting news! CIERA Science Advisory Board member Ray Jayawardhana, an astrophysicist and provost of Johns Hopkins, will become the next president of Caltech! At CIERA, we’ve been fortunate to benefit from Ray’s insight and guidance!🎉
bit.ly/4jw4fkn

Claude-André Faucher-Giguère Named Fellow of the American Astronomical Society On January 8, 2026, the American Astronomical Society (AAS) announced 23 new Fellows for 2026, including Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) faculty member Cl...

Congratulations to CIERA faculty member Claude-André Faucher-Giguère on being named a 2026 Fellow of the American Astronomical Society 🎉The AAS recognized his influential work on cosmological hydrodynamics, galaxy formation, and black hole feedback. bit.ly/49d0M6F

Announcing Alexandra Mannings as Board of Visitors Research Associate We are pleased to announce that Alexandra (Alex) Mannings will be joining CIERA as our new Board of Visitors Research Associate, beginning January 5. Alex recently earned her PhD in Astronomy and Ast...

We’re excited to welcome Alexandra (Alex) Mannings to CIERA as our new Board of Visitors Research Associate, starting today! Please join us in welcoming Alex! bit.ly/4jzPOfa

Research Experiences in Astronomy at CIERA for High School Students (REACH) - Summer 2026 REACH (Research Experiences in Astronomy at CIERA for High School Students) is a highly interactive, in-person 3-week program (with an optional 3-week extension) that provides high school students exp...

🚀 Applications are now OPEN for CIERA’s REACH Program! A 3-week summer astronomy research experience for high school students—focused on Python, hands-on research, and mentorship from professional scientists. Apply now: bit.ly/4pkKa1t
#Astronomy #HighSchoolSTEM #Python

Calling all aspiring astronomers! Northwestern’s CIERA REU gives undergrads hands-on research in galaxy evolution, exoplanets, gravitational waves & instrumentation. Work with faculty, attend workshops & field trips, and present your findings! Apply: bit.ly/4jjNetC

Cosmic crash caught on camera In an unprecedented celestial event, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope (HST) captured the dramatic aftermath of colliding space rocks within a nearby planetary system. When astronomers initially spotted a...

Hubble has imaged the aftermath of two rare collisions between rocky bodies in the nearby planetary system—events once thought to happen only every 100,000 years. CIERA member Jason Wang helped confirm the discovery. bit.ly/4s66Pl1 #Science #Astrophysics #CIERA

🍪✨ Winter Solstice = maximum darkness, maximum cookies.
CIERA’s first-ever cookie exchange was a sweet success—thanks to everyone who baked, shared, and collaborated their way to a great celebration. Science is better together. 🤝❄️

Summer REU at Northwestern CIERA!
Undergrads: dive into 9 weeks of interdisciplinary astrophysics research-exoplanets, galaxy evolution, gravitational waves, instrumentation & more. Field trips, workshops, HPC + Python training included!
Learn more: bit.ly/3MDGv18

Here's some fun news! CIERA's VERY own Nathalie Jones and Jason Wang were interviewed yesterday on Fox 32 Chicago about their recent discovery of a new exoplanet!

You can watch the interview here: lnkd.in/gPCuhzth

🚀 Applications are OPEN for REACH Summer 2026 at @CIERA_NU! 3-week astronomy research program for high school students
💻 Learn Python + work on real science
🧑‍🚀 Mentored by astrophysicists
💙 No prior coding required | Tuition assistance available
🔗 bit.ly/4p33EI2
#STEM #Astronomy #HighSchoolStudents

A discovery fit for Star Wars: CIERA astronomers have directly imaged a Tatooine-like planet orbiting two suns — and it’s closer to its stars than any other directly imaged planet in a binary system. 🌟🌟🪐https://bit.ly/4q8Dfto
@thejason.wang #Exoplanets #Astronomy #Northwestern #CIERA