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CIERA

@nuciera.bsky.social
130 followers 91 following 187 posts

We're Northwestern University's Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics! Currently celebrating our 15th anniversary. Learn more about us at linktr.ee/nuciera

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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Congrats to CIERA's Adam Miller, named a 2026 NSF-Simonyi Scholar, one of just 24 nationwide! The distinction recognizes contributions to Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time. bit.ly/3TPxVQY
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CIERA's Adam Miller named NSF-Simonyi Scholar
Northwestern University's Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics member Adam Miller, assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, has been named a 202...
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
🎉 Happy National Postdoc Appreciation Week! Celebrating the postdoctoral researchers at CIERA who bring curiosity, creativity, and dedication to their work every day. Thank you for all that you do! bit.ly/4rxbtZo
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
🌌 Postdoctoral positions open at CIERA! Two postdoctoral associate positions in time-domain astronomy and resolved stellar populations, working with Prof. Charles Kilpatrick or Profs. Tarraneh Eftekhari and Wen-fai Fong. Deadline Dec 18! Learn more: bit.ly/3TbA0WW
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
🔬 Meet the 2026 CIERA REU cohort! Thirteen undergraduates just wrapped nine weeks of hands-on astrophysics research, from coding and simulations to trips to Fermilab and a public presentation at Adler Planetarium. Congrats to this year's cohort! bit.ly/4gOhCN1
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
🪐 Postdoctoral position open at CIERA! The Northwestern-UChicago Brinson Postdoctoral Fellowship in Astrophysics is now accepting applications, this fellowship is only recruited once every 3 years. Deadline Nov 1. Learn more: bit.ly/4xLzUo5
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
🎇 CIERA welcomes astrophysicist Sara Seager for our Annual Public Lecture, Oct 8, 6PM at Cahn Auditorium. Her talk, The Search for Signs of Life Beyond Earth, explores exoplanets and Venus's clouds in the search for life. Free and open to the public! RSVP: bit.ly/45BBKLR
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The Search for Signs of Life Beyond Earth
Astronomers are searching exoplanet atmospheres and Venus's clouds for signs of life. Professor Sara Seager shares the latest discoveries!
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
🚀 The Roman Space Telescope launched this week! CIERA's Piramon Kumnurdmanee was there as NASA-accredited media: "It was inspiring to experience the launch of the first NASA space telescope named after a woman." CIERA researchers are already leading Cycle 1 science programs. 📸 Photo by Piramon
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
🔭 Postdoctoral positions open at CIERA! We're now accepting applications for CIERA Postdoctoral Fellowships and Postdoctoral Associate positions in theoretical astronomy and astrophysics. Learn more and apply: bit.ly/3SLEvHK
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Looking for the perfect way to spend a summer evening? Join us tonight at Dearborn Observatory for CIERA Astronomer Evening! Hear a talk by an astronomer, ask questions, and look through the historic telescope.
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
📚 Congrats to CIERA's Aaron Geller on publishing Dawn of the Stars, an astrophysics textbook that follows the Seven Sisters of the Pleiades cluster on a journey through the Milky Way. bit.ly/4crTBJd
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CIERA Member Publishes New Astronomy Textbook
CIERA's Aaron Geller has published a new astrophysics textbook, written together with collaborators Nathan Leigh and Taeho Ryu. The book, titled Dawn of the Stars, teaches undergraduate astrophysics t...
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
This summer, four Chicagoland STEM educators participated in CIERA's Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program, where they conducted research and developed astrophysics curricula for their middle and high school classrooms. Read more: ciera.northwestern.edu/2026/08/24/l...
ciera.northwestern.edu
Local teachers gain CIERA research experience to apply in the classroom
With students on summer break, four Chicago educators became the learners for the six-week Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program at the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research i...
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
👁️ A new image of the Helix Nebula shows a dying star's remains being recycled back into the galaxy — a preview of our Sun's distant future! Led by Pieter van Dokkum (joining CIERA Jan 2027), with CIERA's Imad Pasha as co-author. bit.ly/4ieudKp
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Astronomers witness cosmic recycling system in action
New image of Helix Nebula reveals how dying stars return material to the galaxy
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
📰 Northwestern's Tjitske Starkenburg's stellar stream discovery is now getting national coverage — featured by @cnn.com this week! bit.ly/4hFkNaN
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Astronomers use a trail of stars beyond the Milky Way to map a distant galaxy’s dark matter | CNN
In a first, astronomers say they’ve detected a long ribbon of stars outside the Milky Way. The globular cluster stellar stream could reveal clues about dark matter.
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Astronomers have found the first stellar stream ever identified outside the Milky Way — and they're using it to map invisible dark matter. Northwestern's Tjitske Starkenburg co-authored the discovery, published today in @nature.com. bit.ly/3UvAcR9
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Cosmic breadcrumb trail reveals hidden dark matter
Astronomers discover first globular cluster stellar stream outside the Milky Way
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
CIERA is hiring a Part-Time Program Assistant! Join our close-knit team supporting astrophysics research, education, and public outreach. Know someone who’d be a great fit? Help us spread the word! Read more & Apply by Aug. 28: ciera.northwestern.edu/opportunities/2026-part-time-program-assistant/
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Tech Council Assistant Program Coordinator Caleb Krueger recently represented CIERA at the 2026 SciPy conference, hosting a community discussion titled "The Academy and Industry: Building Interdisciplinary Relationships." Read more here: ciera.northwestern.edu/2026/08/07/c...
ciera.northwestern.edu
CIERA brings academia-industry discussion to annual SciPy conference
Every year, users and developers of an open-source library of coding tools and algorithms — known as Scientific Python — gather for a conference to showcase projects made with the programming toolkit ...
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
How do black holes end up on a collision course? A new @science.org feature highlights research from CIERA Director Vicky Kalogera, Postdoctoral Fellow Anarya Ray, and former CIERA postdocs Sylvia Biscoveanu, Sharan Banagiri, and Maya Fishbach.
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How does the universe set black holes on a collision course?
Black holes can form spiraling pairs in three different ways, the gravitational waves from hundreds of collisions suggest
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
CIERA Astronomer Evening tonight at Dearborn, 9 PM!
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
The CIERA Tech Council had its inaugural meeting April 13. The new 9-member group will build bridges between astronomy and industry through collaboration, mentorship, and events.
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
July's CIERA Astronomer Evening is just around the corner - join us next Friday for a fascinating talk and a chance to observe the night sky through Dearborn Observatory's historic telescope.
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
We are so proud of CIERA's Alice Cai, Charles Gibson, Josh Harry, and Andy Marszewski! Each student won a $10,000 fellowship award from the Illinois Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) to support their research in the 2026-2027 academic year. Read more: ciera.northwestern.edu/2026/07/16/f...
ciera.northwestern.edu
Four CIERA students awarded $10,000 each from NASA-funded grant program
Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) graduate students Alice Cai, Charles Gibson, Josh Harry, and Andy Marszewski are four of 28 total recipients to earn a $10...
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Ready to launch your independent research career in planetary astronomy? 🔭🪐 Applications are open for the 2026/2027 51 Pegasi b Fellowship, offering up to $492K over 3 years. Northwestern is proud to be a host institution! 📅Apply by Oct. 1: bit.ly/4bAYYFc
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51 Pegasi b Fellowship at Northwestern
Northwestern University is excited to be a host institution for the Heising-Simons Foundation’s 51 Pegasi b Fellowship. Fellows can collaborate on planetary astronomy research and can benefit from aff...
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
This elusive pink planetary-mass companion is too faint for astronomers to investigate with ground-based instruments. But with the help of the James Webb Space Telescope, a recent study led by CIERA postdoctoral scholar Aneesh Baburaj discovered salty clouds surrounding the cold “Pink Planet.” ☁️🧂
ciera.northwestern.edu
Famous ‘Pink Planet’ harbors a salty surprise
James Webb Space Telescope finds salt clouds surround one of the coldest objects ever studied Northwestern University-led astronomers have discovered salty skies surrounding the universe’s famous “Pi...
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
This spring, former CIERA member Francesca Valsecchi, Ph.D., as well as CIERA Tech Council Member, Angus Forbes, Ph.D., presented as part of the CIERA Connections speaker series!
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
This week, we welcomed a cohort of 13 students from colleges and universities across the country for the Research Experience for Undergraduates program, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
A group of 13 undergraduate students sit in a CIERA conference room on their first day and smile for a picture.
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
The Graduate School (TGS) announced CIERA Graduate Student Elena González Prieto as one of only six awarded the Northwestern Presidential Fellowship for 2026. It is the most prestigious fellowship awarded to graduate students at Northwestern University.
ciera.northwestern.edu
Elena Gonzalez Prieto awarded Northwestern Presidential Fellowship
On June 22 The Graduate School (TGS) of Northwestern University announced CIERA Graduate Student Elena González Prieto as one of only six awarded the Presidential Fellowship for 2026. It is the most p...
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Our REACH program started today! High school students from across the country gathered at Dearborn Observatory for solar observing after visiting CNAIR. They were joined in a coding lecture by high school teachers from our RET program, which also started today.
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
We are pleased to announce a wonderful new addition to our CIERA Board of Visitors — Martha Koch. Martha brings with her a wealth of experience in business and continuing education, and we're excited about the perspectives and energy she will bring to our community.
ciera.northwestern.edu
Martha Koch
Martha Koch is managing partner of Remark LLC, a real estate management firm based in Evanston, Illinois. In addition to her professional work, she is an active board member of the Alumnae of Northwes...
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
The hunt is over. After more than 50 years of searching, CIERA astrophysicists Mark Gorski and Elena Murchikiova have finally discovered evidence of a powerful wind blowing from the Milky Way’s central supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*).
ciera.northwestern.edu
Found: Milky Way black hole’s missing wind
The half-century-long search is finally over, opening a new window into the physics at play in the center of the galaxy The hunt is over. After more than 50 years of searching, astrophysicists at ...
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
More than 400 people 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. t.co/16vnOhxlQp
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https://ciera.northwestern.edu/2026/06/02/ancient-astronomy-meets-modern-stargazing-at-cieras-astronomy-night-out/
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Congratulations to CIERA PhD student Elizabeth Moné on being awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowships! The NSF GRFP is one of the most prestigious fellowships for graduate students in STEM fields.
ciera.northwestern.edu
CIERA PhD Student Elizabeth Moné Awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
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...
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
Join us tonight for this month’s Astronomer Evening! Please note our new summer hours: 9–11 PM.
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
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! Congratulations William! bit.ly/4e53ePl #Astrophysics #PlanetaryScience
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CIERA Announces Northwestern’s First 51 Pegasi b Fellowship Recipient
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 Fou...
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
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! Learn about exploding white dwarfs with Dr. Lindsey Kwok! tinyurl.com/yc7mnp9f
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
We are delighted to announce that six outstanding CIERA Postdoctoral Fellows will be joining the CIERA community in Fall 2026. Please join us in extending a warm welcome to these outstanding researchers! tinyurl.com/4m5547up
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CIERA Welcomes six new CIERA Postdoctoral Fellows
We are delighted to announce that six CIERA Postdoctoral Fellows will be joining the CIERA community in Fall 2026. Please join us in extending a warm welcome to these outstanding researchers! William...
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
Join the Giant Magellan Summit for a 45-min global update on the science & engineering behind the Giant Magellan Telescope. Northwestern is a proud partner in this transformative project. #giantmagellan ✨ Live Q&A with GMT experts 👉 Register: summit.giantmagellan.org
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
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
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
🚀 Ready to launch your career in data-driven astronomy? Apply now to become an LSST-DA Data Science Fellow—but don’t wait, the deadline is March 27! bit.ly/4rKEmzQ #DataScience #Fellowship #GraduateSchool #Astronomy #LSST #CIERA #NorthwesternU
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Data Science Fellowship Program | LSST Discovery Alliance
Learn about the LSST-DA Data Science Fellowship, which positions graduate students to master the challenges posed by large astronomy datasets.
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Enectali Figueroa-Feliciano, Northwestern Physicist, Associate VP for Research, and Core Faculty Member at CIERA, is helping advance the groundbreaking SuperCDMS SNOLAB experiment as it moves into its next phase. Watch his interview on Fox News Chicago yesterday: lnkd.in/gyqnUXhM
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Ready to level up your data science skills and explore the universe at scale? Designed for graduate students in astronomy and related fields, the LSST-DA Data Science Fellowship Program is now accepting applications! 🔗 Learn more and apply: bit.ly/4rKEmzQ
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Data Science Fellowship Program | LSST Discovery Alliance
Learn about the LSST-DA Data Science Fellowship, which positions graduate students to master the challenges posed by large astronomy datasets.
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
CIERA astronomers Dino Chih-Chun Hsu and Jason Wang have uncovered one of the clearest ways yet to distinguish giant planets from brown dwarfs—objects often called “failed stars”: their spin. Read more: bit.ly/4cUJnC4 #Astronomy #Exoplanets #SpaceScience #Astrophysics
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Join us for an unforgettable evening exploring how ancient Greece and Rome Mapped the Cosmos at CIERA’s Astronomy Night Out featuring a public lecture by Nick Winters, Northwestern Ast. Prof of Classics! 🗓 May 28, 2026 🕖 7:00 PM 📍 Ryan Auditorium, Technological Institute, Northwestern University
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
🌌 Gravitational-wave discoveries are accelerating. An international team of scientists — including researchers at Northwestern’s CIERA — has identified 128 new gravitational-wave candidates, more than doubling the previous catalog of cosmic collisions. bit.ly/4lyitCk
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Gravitational-wave detections double with new catalog
EVANSTON, Ill. --- An international team of scientists, including Northwestern University astrophysicists, has detected 128 new gravitational-wave candidates — more than doubling the size of the curre...
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Join us! CIERA - Northwestern University is seeking a Postdoctoral Associate to join the LSST Discovery Alliance Data Science Fellowship Program (DSFP) and conduct cutting-edge research in astronomical survey science. Learn more and apply by April 1: bit.ly/40hYttP
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CIERA DSFP Postdoctoral Associate
We invite applications for a postdoctoral scholar to join Northwestern’s Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) and the leadership of the LSST-DA Data Science Fe...
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
CIERA and @NUSynBio were thrilled to host astronaut-scientist Kate Rubins @NorthwesternU. Rubins shared how she became the first person to sequence DNA aboard the International Space Station—and how space biology can help solve challenges on Earth. bit.ly/4aROSjp
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Synthetic Biology in Space: NASA Astronaut Kate Rubins Visits Northwestern
On February 3, 2026, Microbiologist and retired NASA astronaut Kate Rubins visited Northwestern University to give a special seminar on conducting biology in space, from experimental design in microgr...
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
Final call! Just 5 days left to apply to our Summer Research Experience for High School Students program. Join us 3 weeks of hands-on astronomy research, Python training, and mentorship from professional astronomers. Tuition aid available. Learn more: bit.ly/4p33EI2
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
Less than 2 weeks left to apply! Summer Research Experience for High School Students * 3 weeks of hands-on astronomy research * Learn Python and work with professional astronomers * Tuition aid available | No experience needed Apply now: bit.ly/4p33EI2
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
🚨Event alert for the New York community! Astrophysicist Vicky Kalogera, director of @NUCIERA will give the Simons Foundation Presidential Lecture on March 4 from 6-7PM EST 🔗 Learn more and register: bit.ly/4aRoXHn #Astrophysics #GravitationalWaves @SkAI_Institute
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CIERA @nuciera.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
We are thrilled to share that CIERA faculty member Allison Strom has been awarded a 2026 Sloan Research Fellow in Physics! Congratulations Allison! bit.ly/4qXjVzd
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CIERA’s Allison Strom awarded Sloan Fellowship
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has named Northwestern University’s Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics  member Allison Strom, assistant professor in the Department of...
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