Since its founding by George Ellery Hale in 1892, the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics has been one of the preeminent astronomy departments in the country. Throughout our history we have been known for our entrepreneurial spirit, close ties with physics, and a faculty distinguished by achievements in science and excellence in teaching. One testimony to that history of achievement is the number of NASA missions and observatories that are named after Chicago scientists: the Hubble Space Telescope, Compton Gamma-ray Observatory, Chandra X-ray Observatory, Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, Kuiper Airborne Observatory, and the Parker Solar Probe.
Our department was the first in the world to use astrophysics in its name, reflecting a commitment to interdisciplinary research and innovative approaches combining both physics and astronomy that continues to this day. Our faculty, postdoctoral scholars and graduate students share affiliations with the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics (KICP), Enrico Fermi Institute, and Argonne and Fermilab National Laboratories. Our scientific collaborations span the globe, with significant partnerships undertaking ambitious projects at the South Pole, in Argentina, Chile and in space. As a founding partner in the Giant Magellan Telescope, we anticipate the transformative impact of this instrument to propel key discoveries for decades to come.