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AAS Fellows

JILA Fellow and the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences (APS) at the University of Colorado Boulder Distinguished Professor Mitch Begelman has been inducted as a 2025 American Astronomical Society (AAS) Fellow.

JILA Fellow and the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences (APS) at the University of Colorado Boulder Distinguished Professor Mitch Begelman has been inducted as a 2025 American Astronomical Society (AAS) Fellow. Joining Professor Begelman in this recognition are APS Professors James Green and J. Michael Shull, now an Adjunct Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Together, their contributions underscore CU Boulder’s leadership in astrophysics and planetary sciences.

parkerprobe

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe to Fly Through Sun’s Corona

The Parker probe’s payload contains multiple suites of instruments. One snaps images, others measure magnetic field strength and particle properties. Insights from the collected data will have implications for predicting space weather, and help scientists understand how the sun creates and defines its solar system, says David Malaspina, a researcher at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics. He was one of the scientists who developed the proposal for the Parker Solar Probe in 2008.

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Congratulations to our 23/24 AY Scholarship Winners!

Aaron Barrios, Sydney Ciechanowicz, Grace Shore, Kalvyn Adams, Elena Carlson, Quintin Babcock, Anna Kathryn Baer, Nathan Taylor, Oliver Robidoux and Connor Eaton!

Fall 2025 applications are now closed. Applications for Fall 2026 will open in July 2025. 

Check out our Prospective Students page for more information about applying to the APS Ph.D. program!

The Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences is one of the few programs that combines both astrophysics and planetary science, providing a unified view of space sciences; the solar system and comparative planetology; stellar and galactic astronomy; and cosmology. Students are given hands-on experience with telescopes, optics, instrumentation, and computer image processing and modeling. 

The Interdisciplinary Emphasis lends itself to a career in education, science journalism, science policy, information technology, science management, or technical work where a graduate degree is not required.


The Physics Emphasis is intended for students who wish to do research and continue on to graduate work in astronomy or planetary sciences. This emphasis also lends itself well to a career in technical work related to the field.


Our Ph.D. program allows graduate students to practice teaching, assist in cutting-edge research, and begin to take part in the larger professional astrophysics community.

  • The APS department recognizes our scientific and educational missions are strengthened by contributions from diverse perspectives. We aim to promote a fair, inclusive, and supportive environment for all.  As a member organization of the American Astronomical Society, our department adheres to their Code of Ethics and encourages all our faculty, students, and staff to do the same.
    If you feel we have failed in this goal, or if there are any issues or areas of concern that the APS Executive Committee should be aware of, please use the Anonymous Issue Form.

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