Faculty Link to heading
Rongmon Bordoloi Link to heading
Associate Professor
Observational astrophysicist specializing in galaxy evolution through cosmic baryon cycling. Utilizes ground-based (Keck, VLT, Magellan) and space-based (HST, JWST) telescopes to study extended gaseous halos around galaxies.
Current Graduate Students Link to heading
Jack Higginson
PhD Student (2023 – Present)
Research Focus: Studying evolution of intergalactic medium and circumgalactic medium at the epoch of cosmic reionization. Uses JWST and ground based NIR observations to study the early Universe.
More info: Profile
Derick Flores
PhD Student (2024 – Present)
Research Focus: Study how low-z CGM impacts quenching in galaxies. Uses HST/COS quasar spectroscopy to study CGM of post-starburst galaxies, and massive red galaxies.
Simon Wu
PhD Student (2023 – Present)
Research Focus: Interested in circumgalactic medium evolution and small-scale structure of the CGM. Uses IFU observations of gravitational lenses and large surveys of quasar absorption line studies.
Current Undergraduate Researchers Link to heading
Brandon Mumtazi
Undergraduate Researcher (2024 – Present)
Undergraduate research assistant.
Henry Jones
Undergraduate Researcher (2024 – Present)
Undergraduate research assistant.
Alumni Link to heading
PhD Alumni Link to heading
Dr. Ahmed Shaban Link to heading
PhD (2024) | Postdoc at University of South Carolina
Investigated galactic outflows and their impact on galaxy evolution. Used integral field spectrographs (MUSE, KCWI) to study spatially resolved outflows in gravitationally lensed galaxies.
Dr. Bin Liu Link to heading
PhD (2022) | BKO AI
Developed machine learning and statistical methods for detecting continuum signals in quasar spectra. Applied Bayesian techniques to study neutral fractions in the early Universe during cosmic reionization.
More info: Profile
Master’s Alumni Link to heading
- Robert Seaton (2023)
Undergraduate Alumni Link to heading
- Sean Clark (2022) — Now PhD candidate at UIUC
- Ayesha Darekar (2022) — Now at Boeing
- Michael Dvoskin (2023)
- Caleb Hathaway (2023-2025)
- Raj Bhanushali (2021)
- Trent Couse (2021)