Crosscutting Activities

Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are becoming increasingly important tools in the design and analysis of large astronomical projects. A number of departmental researchers are involved in research that is advancing both astronomy research and AI, particularly through the SkAI Institute for AI in Astronomy and through our involvement in the Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellowship program.

Faculty	Research Faculty	Scientific Projects
John Carlstrom Chihway Chang Alex Drlica-Wagner Joshua Frieman Alexander Ji Jeff McMahon Harley Katz	Tom Crawford	SkAI Institute for AI in Astronomy

Computational Astrophysics

High-performance computing is the workhorse of astrophysical research across all of our science themes. The Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics is the home of world-leaders in astrophysical plasma theory, and we are particularly strong in the areas of high-resolution galaxy formation modeling and modeling of reionization and the intergalactic medium in the early universe. We have access to high-performance computational facilities through the Research Computing Center at the University, and through our connections to Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab. 

Faculty	Research Faculty	Scientific Projects
Damiano Caprioli Fausto Cattaneo Nick Gnedin Harley Katz Andrey Kravtsov Don Lamb Robert Rosner Irina Zhuravleva	Vikram Dwarkadas

Instrumentation

Detectors and instrumentation are critical for astronomy and astrophysics. Innovation and development of detector technology enables us to push measurements to higher precision and leads to new, innovative experiments, from the detection of the inflation-produced gravitational wave imprint on CMB polarization to the detection and characterization of exoplanets. The Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics has a history of building instrumentation, from cosmic microwave background and cosmic-ray experiments to optical and infrared instrumentation, with many scientific opportunities for developing new detectors and advanced instrumentation through our partners in the Institute for Molecular Engineering Pritzker Nanofabrication Facility, Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab.

Faculty	Research Faculty	Scientific Projects
Jacob Bean Brad Benson Derek Buzasi John Carlstrom Clarence Chang Al Harper Steve Meyer Paolo Privitera Abigail Vieregg	Cosmin Deaconu Eric Oberla Sasha Rahlin	CMB-S4: Next Generation CMB Experiment Dark Matter in CCDs (DAMIC​) MAROON-X: Radial Velocity Spectrograph South Pole Telescope (SPT)

Multi-Messenger Astronomy and Astrophysics

Combining observations across the electromagnetic spectrum with gravitational waves, cosmic rays and neutrinos is essential to answering the big questions being asked within each of our science themes. The power of this multi-messenger approach was illustrated by the recent detection of gravitational waves, gamma-rays, x-rays, light across the entire visible spectrum, infrared radiation and radio waves from the coalescence of two neutron stars in a galaxy 120 million light years away. Our role in this landmark event has its roots in our cross-disciplinary approach to answering big questions that traces back to Fermi and extends to the present with our participation and leadership in the LIGO observations and electromagnetic follow ups. 

Faculty	Research Faculty	Scientific Projects
Daniel Holz Abigail Vieregg		Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) Probe Of Extreme Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (POEMMA)