Student attendance at astronomy conference part of growing push in AU astronomy program

Two Alfred University undergraduates accompanied their astronomy professors to the Astronomical Society of New York conference, held at Cornell University. Their work is part of a larger effort by astronomy faculty in the university's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to expand undergraduate astral research at the university.

At the Cornell conference, astrophysics major Jacob Taylor presented a poster representing his research into light emitted from both stars and planets and measured using both ground-based and space-based telescopes. His research has included a comparison of shorter-wave light detected by the Hubble Telescope and longer-wave light registered by ground-based instruments.

Accompanying Jacob was astronomy student Greyson Aldrich-Gray, whose attendance at the conference was his first opportunity to experience multiple research projects in the field of astrophysics.

According to Alfred University Astronomy Professor Joshua Thomas, Taylor and Aldrich-Gray are part of a growing cohort of undergraduate astronomy students who are forming a research team at Alfred's Stull Observatory. "We have other projects in the pipeline, and we're trying to use the Stull Observatory for bigger projects with collaborators," Thomas says, adding Alfred has secured a NASA space grant to fund two students who assist in the university's annual summer astronomy camp and pursue research at the observatory.

Thomas notes Alfred University purchased the spectrometer in 2023, and the instrument was brought online in 2024. In analyzing light emitted by celestial objects, the spectrometer allows scientists to gather evidence of the physical properties of those objects.

Jacob described his experience at the conference as a "fascinating opportunity" to explore different research projects, listen to related lectures, and review posters representing state-of-the art astral research. He added the astronomy program at Alfred University is giving him the opportunity to share his own research interests with new students interested in similar subject matter.

"I've met freshmen this year who are interested in astronomy," he says, "and it's great being able to talk to them about possible research opportunities.