Ryan Maderak

Dr. Ryan Maderak serves as Professor and Co-Chair of the Physics and Astronomy Department at Benedictine College, where he directs the astronomy major program. A native of Atchison and alumnus of the institution (B.S. 2003), he returned to Benedictine College in 2015 after completing graduate studies at Indiana University (M.A. 2006, Ph.D. 2011) and a three-year appointment at Mount Marty College.

Education

• Ph.D. Astronomy, Indiana University, 2011
• M.A. Astronomy, Indiana University, 2006
• B.S. Physics & Astronomy, Benedictine College, 2003

His research centers on chemical evolution of the Galaxy through analysis of oxygen abundances in open star clusters. Using high-resolution spectroscopy, he investigates stellar populations in clusters like Hyades, NGC 752, and NGC 6253 to trace galactic chemical history, with strong emphasis on public astronomy education and community outreach initiatives.

Recent publications demonstrate consistent focus on oxygen abundance patterns in metal-rich clusters, utilizing WIYN telescope data to refine models of stellar nucleosynthesis and galactic chemical evolution across diverse cluster environments.