In our summer lab group, we aim to create a supportive and collaborative environment, where everyone is welcome, where we help each other solve problems, and where we cheer each other on. In addition to learning research skills, we talk about recent discoveries, astronomy and non-astronomy career options, the research process, and other topics. Williamstown is a beautiful place to be in the summer, and we balance work with time off, time outside, and ice cream. We hope you’ll join us!

Recent Projects

Here are some of the questions Williams students have been studying:

  • Are Nearby Analogs Actually Similar to Distant Galaxies?
    • Hector Mendoza '24 and Jordanne Brazie '25 explored this question using recent JWST observations.

  • Why are Metal-Poor Galaxies Producing So Much High-Energy Light?
    • Tasan Smith-Gandy ’24 analyzed the amount of light produced at different energies using mid-infrared JWST observations of 6 metal-poor galaxies.

  • Which Galaxies Reionized the Universe?
    • Nicole Ford ’20 and Anneliese Silveyra ’21 determined which galaxy properties do and don’t correlate with escaping ionizing radiation, using HST observations from the Low-redshift Lyman Continuum Survey (LzLCS) . Sebastian Tabit ’25 and Jordanne Brazie ’25 have continued to investigate the properties of LzLCS galaxies using follow-up optical spectroscopy and HST imaging.

    Tasan Smith-Gandy '24 presenting his research at the American Astronomical Society meeting.

    Hector Mendoza '24 giving a talk at the annual symposium for the Keck Northeast Astronomy Consortium.