About

The heart of our department is our people. From award-winning faculty and dedicated staff to passionate graduate students and researchers, each member of our community plays a vital role in advancing discovery, supporting education, and fostering an inclusive and collaborative environment. Get to know the individuals who make UC Santa Cruz Astronomy & Astrophysics a vibrant place to learn, work, and explore the universe.

Looking for awards? Check out our faculty awards or student awards pages.

Faculty

Natalie M Batalha

Title
- Professor
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-3747
Campus Email
- nabatalh@ucsc.edu
Office Location
- Center for Adaptive Optics, 215

Kevin A Bundy

Title
- Associate Professor
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-3539
Campus Email
- kbundy@ucsc.edu
Website
- Personal research page
Office Location
- Interdisciplinary Sciences Building, 361

Ryan J Foley

Title
- Associate Professor
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-2835
Campus Email
- foley@ucsc.edu
Website
- UCSC Transients Team
Office Location
- Interdisciplinary Sciences Building, 345

Jonathan J Fortney

Title
- Chair and Professor
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-1312
Campus Email
- jfortney@ucsc.edu
Website
- Professional Web Site
- Other Worlds Laboratory
Office Location
- Center for Adaptive Optics, 205

Bryan Gaensler

Title
- Dean of Science
Department
- Physical & Biological Sciences Division – Dean’s Office
Phone
- 8314592931
Campus Email
- gaensler@ucsc.edu
Website
- Bryan Gaensler’s Website
Office Location
- Physical Sciences Building, 509

Puragra Guha Thakurta

Title
- Distinguished Professor of Astronomy & Astrophysics/Astronomer
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 408-455-3036 (cell)
Campus Email
- pguhatha@ucsc.edu
Website
Office Location
- Interdisciplinary Sciences Building, 281

Philip M Hinz

Title
- Director, Laboratory for Adaptive Optics
Department
- Center for Adaptive Optics
Phone
- 520-205-0576
Campus Email
- phinz@ucsc.edu
Office Location
- Center for Adaptive Optics, 105

Nia Imara

Title
- Assistant Professor
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 111-111-1111
Campus Email
- nimara@ucsc.edu
Website
- Publications
Office Location
- Interdisciplinary Sciences Building, XXX

Rebecca Jensen Clem

Title
- Associate Professor
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-2944
Campus Email
- rjensenc@ucsc.edu
Website
- Click here to access my webpage
Office Location
- Center for Adaptive Optics, 101

Alexie S Leauthaud-Harnett

Title
- Associate Professor
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-5891
Campus Email
- alexie@ucsc.edu
Website
- Click here to access my webpage

Bruce Alan Macintosh

Title
- Director
Department
- UC Observatories
Phone
- 831-459-1230
Campus Email
- bamacint@ucsc.edu
Office Location
- Interdisciplinary Sciences Building, 375

Piero Madau

Title
- Professor
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-3839
Campus Email
- pmadau@ucsc.edu
Website
- Web Page

Ruth Murray-Clay

Title
- Professor
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-5592
Campus Email
- rmc@ucsc.edu
Office Location
- Center for Adaptive Optics, 201

Jason Xavier Prochaska

Title
- Professor
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-2135
Campus Email
- jxp@ucsc.edu
Website
- Web Page
- Fast and Fortunate for FRB Followup
Office Location
- Interdisciplinary Sciences Building, 359

Enrico Jorge Ramirez-Ruiz

Title
- Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics and Director of the Center for Reimagining Leadership
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-3400
Campus Email
- raruiz@ucsc.edu
Website
- Web Page
Office Location
- Interdisciplinary Sciences Building, 341

Brant E Robertson

Title
- Professor
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-4903
Campus Email
- brant@ucsc.edu
Website
- Research Website
- List of Publications
Office Location
- Interdisciplinary Sciences Building, 335

Constance Mary Rockosi

Title
- Professor/Astronomer
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-5246
Campus Email
- crockosi@ucsc.edu
Website
- Web Page
Office Location
- Interdisciplinary Sciences Building, ISB 261

Steph Elise Sallum

Title
- Assistant Professor
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Campus Email
- ssallum@ucsc.edu

Andrew J Skemer

Title
- Professor
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-5753
Campus Email
- askemer@ucsc.edu
Website
- Personal Website
Office Location
- Center for Adaptive Optics, 107

Graeme H Smith

Title
- Professor/Astronomer
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-2907
Campus Email
- ghsmith@ucsc.edu

Adjunct Faculty

Aaron J Romanowsky

Title
- Adjunct Professor
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-3840
Campus Email
- aromanow@ucsc.edu
Website
- web page
Office Location
- Interdisciplinary Sciences Building, 112

Matthew D Shetrone

Title
- Deputy Director
Department
- UC Observatories
Phone
- 831-459-2201
Campus Email
- mshetron@ucsc.edu
Office Location
- Interdisciplinary Sciences Building, 371

Emeriti Faculty

Peter H Bodenheimer

Title
- Professor Emeritus
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-2064
Campus Email
- pbodenhe@ucsc.edu
Website
- Web Page

Michael Bolte

Title
- Professor
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-2384
Campus Email
- mbolte@ucsc.edu
Website
- Web Page

Jean Brodie

Title
- Professor/Astronomer
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-2987
Campus Email
- jbrodie@ucsc.edu
Website
- Web Page
Office Location
- Interdisciplinary Sciences Building, 281

Harland W Epps

Title
- Astronomer
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-3454
Campus Email
- hwepps@ucsc.edu
Website
- Web Page
- Mosfire

S M Faber

Title
- Astronomer/Professor Emerita
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 408-438-3587
Campus Email
- smfaber@ucsc.edu
Website
- Web Page

John Faulkner

Title
- Professor Emeritus Astronomy &
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-2844
Campus Email
- jfaulkne@ucsc.edu
Website
- Web Page

Garth D Illingworth

Title
- Distinguished Professor/Astronomer Emeritus
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-2843
Campus Email
- gillingw@ucsc.edu
Website
- Web Page
Office Location
- Interdisciplinary Sciences Building, ISB/267

Burton F Jones

Title
- Asst Director Lick Observatory
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-2384
Campus Email
- bfjones@ucsc.edu
Website
- Web Page

David C Koo

Title
- Professor Emeritus/Astronomer
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-2130
Campus Email
- dckoo@ucsc.edu
Website
- Web Home Page

Douglas N Lin

Title
- Professor
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-2732
Campus Email
- dnlin@ucsc.edu
Website
- Web Page

Bruce H Margon

Title
- Professor Emeritus of Astronomy & Astrophysics
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-1596
Campus Email
- margon@ucsc.edu

Claire Ellen Max

Title
- Director Emerita, UC Observatories
Department
- UC Observatories
Phone
- 510-717-1930
Campus Email
- cemax@ucsc.edu
Website
- Web Page
Office Location
- Center for Adaptive Optics, 111

Joseph S Miller

Title
- Emeritus Faculty
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-3670
Campus Email
- jsmiller@ucsc.edu

Steven S Vogt

Title
- Emeritus Distinguished Professor/Astronomer
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-2151
Campus Email
- svogt@ucsc.edu
Website
- Web Page

Merle Walker

Title
- Emeriti
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-2991
Campus Email
- merlew@ucsc.edu
Office Location
- Remote work location, none

Stanford E Woosley

Title
- Professor
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-251-6962
Campus Email
- swoosley@ucsc.edu
Website
- Web Page
Office Location
- Interdisciplinary Sciences Building, 259

Staff

Alyssa Danielli

Title
- Astronomy Department Manager
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-1311
Campus Email
- alfadani@ucsc.edu
Office Location
- Interdisciplinary Sciences Building, #271

Brandon L Day

Title
- Graduate Program Coordinator / Advisor
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- 831-459-1347
Campus Email
- blday@ucsc.edu
Office Location
- Interdisciplinary Sciences Building, Office 269
Office Hours
- Monday through Wednesday 10am – 5pm

Katrina Colete Kianpoor

Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Campus Email
- kkianpoo@ucsc.edu

Kali Sophia Lucas

Title
- Department Administrative Assistant
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Campus Email
- kaslucas@ucsc.edu
Office Location
- Interdisciplinary Sciences Building, 211 (PHYS); 287 (ASTR)
Office Hours
- M/W 8am-4pm (Astro); Tu/Th 9am-5pm (Physics); F Remote

Bhavna Mahi

Title
- Graduate Student Advisor
Department
- Astronomy & Astrophysics Department
Phone
- (831) 459-4029
Campus Email
- bmahi@ucsc.edu
Website
- UCSC Astronomy and Astrophysics Graduate Page
- Schedule an appointment
Office Location
- Interdisciplinary Sciences Building, 273
Office Hours
- Monday through Thursday 9 AM – 5 PM (In person), Friday 9 AM – 5 PM (Remote)