Research Areas
- Galactic archaeology
- Near-field cosmology
- Extrasolar planets
I employ a combination of physical models and data from various observatories (e.g. Gaia, the James Webb Space Telescope) to study populations of stars, with the aim of using the derived properties of these populations to inform our understanding of the formation and evolution of extrasolar planets, of the Milky Way, and of the Universe as a whole. We have broad ideas of how the Universe and its galaxies formed and evolved, my interest lies in testing and evaluating these ideas to the highest precision possible.
Articles
McShan receives ISGC grant for “Calibrating RR Lyrae Stellar Parameters" project
Thursday, January 8, 2026
Jacqueline McShan, a graduate teaching assistant in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, has received an Iowa Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) Graduate Fellowship for a research project entitled “Calibrating RR Lyrae Stellar Parameters."
Silva receives ISGC grant to study ages of subgiant stars
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
John Silva, a graduate teaching assistant in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, has received an Iowa Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) Graduate Fellowship for a project that will measure precise and accurate ages for millions of nearby subgiant stars, enabling a robust reconstruction of the Milky Way’s star formation and chemical evolution.
Exoplanet map initiative earns NASA support for Nataf
Saturday, November 15, 2025
University of Iowa physicist David Nataf will lead a NASA-funded research project focused on producing detailed three-dimensional maps for the study of exoplanets and their host stars.
Little Named ISGC Undergraduate Research Scholar
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Brendyn Little was named an Iowa Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) Undergraduate Research Scholar for the 2025-2026 academic year. Eight outstanding undergraduate students across the state were awarded this honor to pursue STEM research projects that align with NASA’s mission.
Nataf Awarded Grants for Exoplanet Research
Thursday, September 11, 2025
Assistant Professor David Nataf has recently received several research grants that could improve our understanding of planets outside the solar system.
UI astronomer hopes new telescope will unlock some universal mysteries
Friday, June 27, 2025
Many space scientists in Iowa are thrilled after seeing the first high-resolution images being released this week from the mountaintop Rubin Observatory in Chile, taken by the largest digital camera ever built. University of Iowa astronomy professor David Nataf says the large, detailed photos may deepen our understanding of the cosmos, helping us to comprehend things like how fast the universe is expanding.