research
teaching
outreach/diversity
cv/bibliography
presentations
spex prism library
blog
astrofacts!

Adam J. Burgasser, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Physics
UC San Diego
Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences

Associate Professor of Physics
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research


University of California San Diego
Center for Astrophysics and Space Science
9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0424
La Jolla, CA 92093, USA

tel: +1 (858) 822 6958
fax: +1 (858) 534 2294

aburgasser [at] ucsd [dot] edu

What's New?

Graduate student Jacqueline Faherty and I have completed a survey on the perceptions of appropriate behavior between students and advisors as part of our contribution to the Women in Astronomy and Space Science 2009 conference held October 21-23 in College Park, MD. The results of the survey can be found at http://www.browndwarfs.org/wia2009 .
(November 2009)
The Astrofacts! website goes live! Inspired by the International Year of Astronomy and in a partnership with Maui youth radio station radiOpio (KOPO-LP 89.5 FM), we've developed a series of radio spots aimed at present astronomy facts in a fun way, that will be playing all summer long in Maui and streaming online here. Charae' Tongg, a rising junior at Seabury Hall, is writing, editing, producing and starring in the radio spots, along with other kids and staff at the Paia Youth and Cultural Center.
(June 2009)
Undergraduate researcher Daniella Bardalez Gagliuffi wins an Honorable Mention at the 214th American Astronomical Society Meeting in Pasadena, CA for her poster on the possible triple brown dwarf 2MASS 0850+1057.
(June 2009)
The "wild rides" of ultracool subdwarfs announced at the 214th American Astronomical Society Meeting in Pasadena, CA. Based in part on calculations made by MIT graduate student Robyn Sanderson, we find a remarkable diversity in the Galactic orbits of ultracool subdwarfs, including one source that may be an extragalactic interloper. See the associated press release and the Youtube video!
(June 2009)
Graduate student Jackie Faherty, Postdoctoral Researcher Andrew West and I attended the 2009 joint meeting of the National Society of Black Physicists and National Society of Hispanic Physicists in Nashville, TN. We were part of a contingent of 25 MIT faculty, researchers, graduate students and undergraduate students (including three student award winners!) who participated in discussions on diversity and science. Photos from the event are now online.
(February 2009)
We've identified the dimmest pair of brown dwarfs, a source known as 2MASS 0939-2448, using a combination of ground-based data and spectroscopy from the Spitzer Space Telescope. The as-yet unresolved pair are the first to break the millionth of a solar luminosity brightness limit. See the associated ApJ Letter.
(December 2008)
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Research

My research focuses on the properties of the lowest mass stars and coldest brown dwarfs, particularly L dwarfs and T dwarfs and ultracool halo subdwarfs. I use observational techniques to infer the physical properties of cool stars, examine magnetic activity trends, search for multiples, and measure population statistics. My work incorporates many observational tools, including optical and infrared spectroscopy, high resolution imaging (including traditional and laser guide star adaptive optics), radio astronomy, space-based (HST & Spitzer) imaging, and photometric monitoring.

Background on my research can be found in the Physics Today review article I wrote in 2008. You can also find out more on my research page.

I'm also working with Rob Simcoe and collaborators to build the Folded Port Infrared Echellette (FIRE) for the Magellan Telescopes. We've just acquired first light in the laboratory in preparation for commissioning in January 2010. You definitely need some swag.

Check out some of my recent research publications and presentations.

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Teaching

In Winter 2009 I will be teaching Physics 1A: Mechanics (web page from Fall 2009). In Spring 2010 I will be teaching Physics 9: The Solar System (web page from Fall 2007). My office hours can be found on my schedule.

In Fall 2008 I conducted an experiment of bringing interactive learning to the 8.012 lectures. If you are interested, please read the report, check out some of the concept questions developed for the class, and you can even see the interactive lectures in action on TechTV.

If you enjoyed (or missed) 8.972: Exoplanets and Brown Dwarfs in Spring 2007, you can download the lectures here.

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Public Outreach and Diversity Issues

I am interested in minority and gender representation issues in Physics and Astronomy, in particular bringing about parity in representation at the graduate, postdoctoral and faculty levels. I am a member of the National Society of Black Physicists and SACNAS, and a participant in the 2003 and 2009 Women in Astronomy meetings (see our survey on perception of appropriate behavior between students and advisors for the 2009 meeting). I also serve on the Outreach/Diversity committee in the UCSD Physics department.

I am also a mentor and advisee on MentorNet, a nonprofit e-mentoring network helping to advance the careers of students and young scientists in engineering, science and mathematics fields, particularly women and underrepresented minorities.

Read the Astro2010 Decadal Survey State of the Profession Position Paper, led by Dara Norman, on increasing the number of underrepresented minorities in astronomy at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels (additional detail is provided in Papers I and II).

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Other goodies

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Adam J. Burgasser
University of California San Diego
Center for Astrophysics and Space Science
9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0424
La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
tel: +1 (858) 822 6958
fax: +1 (858) 534 2294

aburgasser [at] ucsd [dot] edu

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