2026 Great Lecture in Astronomy

One of the key objectives of modern astrophysics is to understand the formation and evolution of galaxies. The Milky Way is an optimal laboratory for testing our theories of galaxy formation. However, dissecting the assembly history of our cosmic home requires a detailed mapping of its constituent stars. In this talk, Prof. Hawkins will discuss how astronomers map the stars in our galaxy to understand its formation and evolution across cosmic time.

Keith Hawkins is an associate professor of astronomy at The University of Texas at Austin and Director of the After Sloan-V project. He received his Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of Cambridge as a British Marshall Scholar in 2016 and his Bachelor’s degree in Astrophysics from Ohio University in 2013 as a Templeton and Goldwater Scholar. His research centers are revealing the formation, assembly and history of our Galaxy and its planetary systems through detailed studies of its billions of stars.