Noted astronomer to visit UVa-Wise April 27-28

Astronomer Steven R. Majewski, whose research on the Milky Way as a galactic cannibal has received international attention, will present two public lectures at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise April 27-28.

On Tuesday, April 27, Majewski will present “A Short History of our Cannibalistic Galaxy.” The event begins at 7 p.m. in the Science Center lecture hall. On Wednesday, April 28, Majewski will offer “A New View of our Cannibalistic Galaxy.” The lecture begins at 1 p.m. Both are free and open to the public.

An associate professor of astronomy at the University of Virginia, Majewski earned his doctoral degree from the University of Chicago and is both a Carnegie Fellow and a Hubble Fellow. He is the recipient of a CAREER Award from the national Science Foundation and a Packard Foundation Fellowship. With these grants, he and his colleagues have worked to map stellar motions in the outer Milky Way. Majewski contends the Milky Way has “stolen” star clusters formerly in the Sagittarius galaxy. The Milky Way has grown larger as its gravitational forces have essentially eaten away at its smaller neighbor.

Majewski’s visit to UVa-Wise is part of the College's University Fellows program. Established in 1998 to forge more direct links between the academic programs at UVa-Wise and U.Va., the University Fellows program offers faculty and students at UVa-Wise an opportunity to interact with some of the University's most outstanding professors. The event is co-sponsored by the Department of Natural Science and the Department of Academic Affairs.

For more information, contact the Office of College Relations at 276-328-0130.