College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Launches The Villanova One Sky Center for Astrophysics
Villanova, Pa. – Villanova University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences launches its 12th Center of Excellence, The Villanova One Sky Center for Astrophysics. The Center is dedicated to advancing innovation and excellence in astrophysics by prioritizing inclusion of traditionally underrepresented groups.
In a field that has historically lacked a multitude of voices—limiting its potential for innovation and discovery—the Center will create opportunities for more students to access astrophysics, paving the way for a more accessible and welcoming discipline. The Center will build relationships with community colleges and Historically Black Colleges and Universities, inviting promising students to participate in research alongside Villanova faculty mentors. By fostering connections with local universities, the Center aims to become a central resource for astrophysics exploration and learning in the community, offering colloquia and expanding the number of celestial viewing events to include Saturn and Venus sightings, comet appearances and more, hosted by the Department of Astrophysics and Planetary Science in the Villanova Public Observatory.
The Villanova One Sky Center will also advance faculty research in stellar astrophysics, star formation, cosmology, black holes, explosive events and transient phenomena. The Center will work with the Vera C. Rubin Observatory to analyze data collected from the 8.4-meter Simonyi Survey Telescope in Chile, a partnership that elevates the Center’s research contributions to the field. Using the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) camera—the largest digital camera ever built—the telescope will scan the sky for 10 years and produce an extraordinarily high-definition time-lapse record of the Universe, driving discoveries about dark energy, dark matter, galaxy formation and our transient universe.
A collaboration between two departments, the Center’s co-directors are David Chuss, PhD, chair of the Department of Physics and Kelly Prša, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Astrophysics and Planetary Science. At the heart of these disciplines are foundational skills with broad application. The study of the Universe bridges timeless philosophical questions with modern, data-driven problem-solving methods, and by exploring the cosmos, astrophysics equips students with critical skills that prepare them for a wide range of careers from science to engineering, medicine, business, law and more.
“Cultivating students’ intellectual curiosity is embedded in the CLAS experience in every discipline,” says Adele Lindenmeyr, PhD, William and Julia Moulden Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “By uniting the efforts of these two departments, The Villanova One Sky Center will expand student opportunities and elevate our longstanding record of research eminence in astronomy and astrophysics. Several of our faculty in these departments are internationally known in the field and consistently receive funding from top-tier organizations like NASA.”
To celebrate its launch, the new Center will host a public event on Friday, April 4, 2025 at 5 p.m. featuring a keynote lecture by Beth Willman, PhD, chief executive officer of LSST Discovery Alliance. With more than 20 years of experience in astrophysics, Dr. Willman is recognized for her ability to tackle complex scientific challenges, strategic leadership and dedication to building collaborative teams. Through her work, she champions inclusive access to scientific data and discovery and is committed to mentoring the next generation of scientists.
Dr. Willman’s talk on the future of astrophysics research will be held in the Dionisio Family Lecture Hall of Drosdick Hall on Villanova’s campus, followed by a reception. The event is free and open to the public.
Register for the April 4th event.
About Villanova University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Since its founding in 1842, Villanova University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has been the heart of the Villanova learning experience, offering foundational courses for undergraduate students in every college of the University. Serving more than 4,500 undergraduate and graduate students, the College is committed to fortifying them with intellectual rigor, multidisciplinary knowledge, moral courage and a global perspective. The College has more than 40 academic departments and programs across the humanities, social sciences, and natural and physical sciences.