The Story of Our Cosmic Home

What is the talk about?

What secrets are hiding in the stars above us, and what can they tell us about our galaxy? In the next Hot Science – Cool Talks, astronomer Dr. Keith Hawkins takes us on a galactic journey through the Milky Way. Using stellar light and chemical fingerprints, Dr. Hawkins’ research reveals previously hidden regions of the Milky Way’s spiral arms, reshaping how we understand our home galaxy. This event will make you see the night sky in a whole new light.

About our presenter

Dr. Keith Hawkins

Keith Hawkins is an Associate Professor of Astronomy at The University of Texas at Austin. His research focuses on “Galactic Archaeology”, which is an approach to uncovering the Milky Way’s formation, evolution, and structure by studying the chemistry and motions of its stars. He is the director of the After Sloan-V project in Astronomy, and a member of large Astronomical Centers for Artificial Intelligence, Planetary habitability, and Astrophysical Plasma Properties. Before joining UT, Keith was a Simons Junior Research Fellow at Columbia University. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge as a Marshall Scholar and completed his B.S. in Astrophysics at Ohio University.