Areas of Research

Quantum Optics

Research in this area uses precision optical and photonic techniques to explore new sensing, computing, and information technologies, spanning nanotechnology, semiconductors, spectroscopy, and quantum information science. Recent work has produced highly sensitive quantum field sensors built with nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond, research recognized by a FedTech entrepreneurial incubator, in collaboration with the Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona Division. This work is supported by funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Defense (DoD). Faculty working in this area: Dr. Martin Kim, Dr. Jonathan Daniel.

Applied Machine Learning

Research in this area applies modern computational techniques to problems in quantum sensing and nonlinear optics. Faculty working in this area: Dr. Jonathan Daniel.

Small Icy Solar System Objects

Research in this area studies comets and other small icy bodies throughout the solar system, using ground-based optical observations to track their composition and activity and to understand their role in the solar system's formation and evolution. Faculty working in this area: Dr. Laura Woodney.

Caption: Ultraviolet images from MAVEN's Imaging UltraViolet Spectrograph capture rapid cloud formation over Mars's volcanoes on July 9-10, 2016, afternoon clouds building over peaks like Olympus Mons in a process similar to mountain cloud formation on Earth. Courtesy NASA/MAVEN/University of Colorado-LASP.

Mars Atmosphere

Research in this area investigates the Martian atmosphere, including cloud formation and meteor ablation, drawing on data from NASA missions and international collaborations with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), including the Martian Moons eXplorer mission returning samples from Phobos. This work is closely tied to the department's own Murillo Family Observatory, which gives students hands-on observing experience and a direct role in planetary science research. Faculty working in this area: Dr. Matteo Crismani.

Near-Field Cosmology

Research in this area uses ultra-faint dwarf galaxies and RR Lyrae variable stars as tracers of the early universe, combining optical telescope observations with cosmological simulations. Current work includes a large-scale RR Lyrae research program built on SDSS-V and Gaia survey data, along with photometric monitoring conducted at CSUSB's own Murillo Family Observatory. Faculty working in this area: Dr. Katy Rodriguez Wimberly.

Galactic Evolution

Related work in this area traces the formation and assembly of the earliest galaxies, including the Milky Way itself, connecting to national leadership roles with the Astronomical Society of the Pacific and the Cal Bridge Program, and to peer mentorship programs established at UC Irvine, UC Riverside, and within Cal-Bridge. Faculty working in this area: Dr. Katy Rodriguez Wimberly.