• B.A. in Physics (1998), Cornell University
• Ph.D. in Physics (2004) University of California - Berkeley

Research Interests:

Kyle Dawson joined the Physics Department faculty in January, 2009.  His work primarily focuses on observational cosmology and the instrumentation required for astronomical observations.  His first research was done at microwave wavelengths in observations of galaxy clusters in the cosmic microwave background.  Gradually, he moved to visible wavelengths where he found more interesting bright sources to observe.  In his postdoctoral work, he used large ground-based telescopes and the Hubble Space Telescope to observe supernovae and very distant galaxy clusters.  He also developed new CCD detectors for use in large space telescopes and ground-based telescopes during his tenure as a postdoctoral researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Upon arriving at the University of Utah, he assumed the role of "Commissioning Czar" for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey's (SDSS) Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS).  A large project located in New Mexico, not far from the Texas border, BOSS will map the spatial distribution of luminous galaxies and quasars to detect the characteristic scale imprinted in the early universe. Sound waves that propagate in the early universe, like spreading ripples in a pond, imprint a characteristic scale on cosmic microwave background fluctuations. These fluctuations have evolved into today's walls and voids of galaxies and is visible among galaxies today.  With the BOSS instrument, we will observe over one million galaxies and quasars associated with these ripples.  We made the first observations late in 2009 - Kyle is now leading the effort to guarantee that the instrument works as expected in his new position as survey scientist.

He is also helping to develop a new site for observational astronomy for the University of Utah.  We have chosen a mountain top at 9500 feet above sea level in southern Utah to build a 32-inch optical telescope.  The observatory may provide support for further observations for data obtained from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and will provide an instrument for teaching new Astronomy majors and astronomy graduate students in the upcoming astronomy program at the university. Research in other fields of astronomy such as planet hunting, Gamma Ray searching, galaxy formation, and others will be possible and are being considered. Plans for public access and outreach will be determined in the next year after the first observations are made to determine the quality of the site.

Selected Recent Publications

• "An Intensive HST Survey for z>1 Supernovae by Targeting Galaxy Clusters," Dawson, K.S. et al., 2009, Astronomical Journal, 138, 1271.
  
  
• "Radiation Tolerance of Fully-Depleted P-Channel CCDs Designed for the SNAP Satellite," Dawson, K. S.; Bebek, C.J.; Emes, J.H.; Holland, S.E.; Jelisnsky, S.; Karcher, A.; Kolbe, W.; Palaio, N.; Roe, N.; Saha, J.; Takasaki, K.; and Wang, G., 2008, IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 55, 1725.
  
  
• " Final Results from the BIMA CMB Anisotropy Survey and Search for a Signature of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect,"
  Dawson, K. S.; Holzapfel, W. L.; Carlstrom, J. E.; Joy, M.; LaRoque, S. J., 2006, ApJ, 647, 13.
  
  A complete list of publications can be found here.