Resolved Stellar Populations of Galaxies, Parallels Between Science and Art, and STEAM Experiential Learning Opportunities
Professor Raja GuhaThakurta from the University of California Santa Cruz will visit to talk about some aspects of his extensive, multifaceted work. Professor GuhaThakurta is Chair of the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz. He leads efforts to use some of the most capable astronomical instruments that exist to explore astrophysical phenomena up close in relatively nearby galaxies. He has also founded and leads several efforts to connect high school students to research and has mentored and collaborated with an enormous number of students and researchers at all levels. Please see his description of his talk below. We're very fortunate to have him visit and share some time with us. It would be great to have you join us!
The first part of my talk will be about my research on the resolved stellar populations, star clusters, and integrated light of galaxies like the Milky Way, Andromeda, Triangulum, Large Magellanic Cloud, other Local Group/Local Volume galaxies, Virgo Cluster galaxies, etc. The second part will be about the parallels between the kind of astrophysics research I do and the detailed/realistic portraits I draw/paint as a lifelong hobby (my outdated art website). The third part will be about ways in which students and the general public can engage with research in a variety of fields (including my own) through the following three CREST programs: (1) Shadow the Scientists (StS); (2) Python and Research (PyaR); and (3) Science Internship Program (SIP).
About Raja GuhaThakurta
Raja GuhaThakurta is a Distinguished Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of California Santa Cruz. He studies the formation and evolution of galaxies using the Keck telescopes, HST, JWST, etc. He founded the Science Internship Program (SIP), Shadow the Scientists (StS), and Python and Research (PyaR). These programs reside within the CREST department that he started at UCSC. He is a member of the AURA Board of Directors, former department chair, and AAS Fellow. He received the AAS Education Prize in 2025, NRC of Canada's Herzberg Memorial Prize and Fellowship in 2001, and a Sloan Fellowship in 1997. He received his PhD in Astrophysical Sciences from Princeton University in 1989.