CIERA Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics

06/02/2026

Hundreds of community members, students, families, and astronomy faculty and enthusiasts gathered at Northwestern University on May 28 for CIERA’s fifth annual “Astronomy Night Out,” a free public program that brings the wonder of discovery beyond the laboratory and into the broader community. More than 400 attendees participated in person and via livestream.

The evening featured a keynote lecture by Northwestern Assistant Professor of Classics and CIERA faculty member Nick Winters titled “Heavenly Spheres: How Ancient Greece and Rome Mapped the Cosmos.” A classicist and former physicist who studies ancient mathematics and science, Winters examines how scientific knowledge moved through the ancient world—and how mathematical practices evolved across cultures and generations.

Thank you to our speaker, attendees, and CIERA’s outreach team for making this event such a success!

CIERA’s fifth annual event blended a public lecture, hands-on activities, and telescope viewing at Dearborn Observatory By Matt Golosinski Photo credits: Bonnie Robinson Hundreds of community members, students, families, and astronomy faculty and enthusiasts gathered at Northwestern Univers

05/18/2026

04/30/2026

Congratulations to CIERA PhD student Elizabeth Moné on being awarded a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship! The NSF GRFP is one of the most prestigious fellowships for graduate students in STEM fields, recognizing researchers with the potential to make significant contributions to science and education.

The 2026 awardees of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) includes CIERA member Elizabeth Moné! The GRFP recognizes outstanding graduate students who are pursuing full-time, research-based masters and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineer...

04/29/2026

CIERA and SkAI are pleased to support the POSYDON School 2026 as collaborators and funders. Applications are now open for researchers at all career stages to learn how to apply POSYDON to astrophysical problems such as mass-transfer stability, supernova progenitors, and the formation of binary black holes. We hope you’ll considering joining us this August in Geneva, Switzerland!

https://posydon.org/posydon-school-2026/

04/24/2026

Join us tonight for this month’s Astronomer Evening! Please note our new summer hours: 9–11 PM.

04/07/2026

We are proud to announce that William Balmer has been named Northwestern University’s first Heising-Simons Foundation 51 Pegasi b Fellow and a member of the Tenth Class of 51 Pegasi b Fellows! Balmer aims to push planetary imaging into a new era by combining methods from medical imaging and advanced visual data science. A devoted scientist and mentor, they are looking forward to helping guide the next generation of scientists. https://bit.ly/4e53ePl

The Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) is proud to announce that William Balmer (they/them) has been named Northwestern University’s first Heising-Simons Foundation 51 Pegasi b Fellow and a member of the Tenth Class of 51 Pegasi b Fellows. This prestigio

03/30/2026

✨ Calling all future scientists, curious minds, and amazing educators! ✨

Ever wondered what it’s really like to explore the universe? 🌌

Check out the latest video from the CIERA Spotlight Series, where scientists share their journeys, discoveries, and the human side of science—because behind every breakthrough is a story!

🎥 Watch here: https://youtu.be/Yt7gstn7u60?si=OdPCGJ-EKUScSRNL

At the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics, the Spotlight Series is all about connecting YOU to real researchers—what they study, how they got there, and what inspires them every day. From black holes to big career dreams, there’s something for everyone! ()

👩‍🏫 Teachers: Bring real-world STEM into your classroom

🧑‍🎓 Students: Discover careers you didn’t know existed

🌟 Everyone: Get inspired by the people shaping our universe

👉 Don’t stop at just one video!

✔️ Explore past episodes

✔️ Follow along for future Spotlights

✔️ Share with your class, friends, or fellow space enthusiasts

Because the next big discovery… could start with YOU. 🌠

Northwestern University's Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) presents its Spotlight Series: an interview program h...

03/25/2026

🔭🌍 Curious about the future of astronomy?

Join a global community of scientists and engineers for the inaugural Giant Magellan Summit—a 45-minute livestream offering an inside look at the science, technology, and international collaboration behind the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT).

As part of the GMT partnership, Northwestern University and CIERA are helping advance this groundbreaking observatory, set to transform how we explore the universe in the coming decades.

✨ Hear the latest project updates

✨ Get a behind-the-scenes look at the telescope’s development

✨ Join a live Q&A with the team building GMT

Don’t miss this chance to see how the future of astronomy is taking shape.

👉 Learn more and register: https://summit.giantmagellan.org/

03/25/2026

Join us Friday for this month’s CIERA Astronomer Evening!

Nathalie Jones (Graduate Fellow) will give a talk on searching for new exoplanets through direct imaging. Telescope viewing will follow.

📍 Dearborn Observatory
🕗 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM