Galactic Evolution

Raja GuhaThakurta (PhD in Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton, 1989) is a professor of astronomy and astrophysics at UCSC. GuhaThakurta's research focuses on the formation and evolution of galaxies, large and small, near and far, through detailed studies of their assembly history, galaxy cannibalism, dynamics and dark matter content, chemical enrichment, and star-formation history. His research group studies the Andromeda galaxy (lead: SPLASH and M31AGES surveys; spectroscopy lead: PHAT survey), Milky Way galaxy (lead: HALO7D project), and many other galaxies in the Local Volume (e.g., spectroscopy leads: NGVS, SMAKCED, and PISCeS surveys). The group frequently uses the Keck telescope and Hubble Space Telescope.