Donald G. York
Horace B. Horton Professor Emeritus, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics; Enrico Fermi Institute; and the College

Department Chair: 1991-1991 (Acting)

Assistant Chairman for Academic Affairs: 2009-2013

Education: BS 1966 (Physics) MIT; Ph.D. 1971 (Astrophysics) University of Chicago; Research astronomer on the Copernicus satellite project at Princeton University, 1970-1982

Phone: (773) 702-8930
Location: ERC 577
Email: donoddjob.uchicago.edu

Affiliations: Co-founder, CUIP

Research
York's current research interests include: discerning the location of the gas absorption lines seen in high redshift QSOs, determining the element abundances as a function of cosmic time and searching for very large molecules in local interstellar material.
Publications: ADS | arXiv | inSPIRE

Research Fields:
York's research deals with the dust and gas between the stars (the Galactic interstellar medium) and the same material in high redshift galaxies (the intergalactic medium, so called because we cannot see the galaxies themselves). Studies of local, Galactic material, where the physics can be studied in more detail, are used to develop techniques for studying galaxies at high redshifts.

Scientific Projects

Past scientific projects: Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)

Graduate Students
Past Graduate Students: Christoforos Mallouris (2002, Astronomy and Astrophysics); Constance M. Rockosi (2001, Astronomy and Astrophysics); Gordon T. Richards (2000, Astronomy and Astrophysics); Scott A. Severson (2000, Astronomy and Astrophysics)

Teaching Courses
Past courses:
  • [ASTR 20000] Tutorial in Astronomy and Astrophysics: 2010 - 2011 (Winter, Spring)
  • [ASTR 23000] Looking for Ourselves Elsewhere: 2013 - 2014 (Autumn); 2010 - 2011 (Autumn)
  • [ASTR 29700] Participation In Research: Astronomy and Astrophysics: 2010 - 2011 (Winter, Spring)
  • [ASTR 31300] Extragalactic Astronomy: 2008 - 2009 (Spring); 2004 - 2005 (Winter)
  • [ASTR 36100] Interstellar Medium: 2013 - 2014 (Spring); 2011 - 2012 (Winter); 2007 - 2008 (Autumn); 2005 - 2006 (Winter)
  • [ASTR 37100] Pre-Candidacy Research: 2010 - 2011 (Winter, Spring)
  • [ASTR 38000] History of the Telescope: 2012 - 2013 (Winter); 2009 - 2010 (Spring)
  • [ASTR 49400] Postcandidacy Research in Astrophysics: 2010 - 2011 (Winter, Spring)
  • [PHSC 11900] Stellar Astronomy and Astrophysics: 2009 - 2010 (Autumn); 2006 - 2007 (Autumn, Winter)
  • [PHSC 12000] Origin of the Universe and How We Know: 2008 - 2009 (Winter); 2006 - 2007 (Winter)

Department Committees
Past Department Committees:
  • Adler Planetarium Committee: 2013 - 2014
  • Awards: 2013 - 2014
  • Candidacy: 2013 - 2014
  • Graduate Committee: 2013 - 2014
  • Time Allocation: 2013 - 2014
  • Graduate Admissions: 2012 - 2013 | 2010 - 2011 | 2009 - 2010

Department News & Highlights