Lamiya Mowla

Lamiya Mowla is an Assistant Professor of Astronomy at Wellesley College. As an observational astronomer, she investigates the formation and evolution of galaxies since the cosmic dawn, utilizing advanced technologies such as the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescope, alongside cosmological simulations. Her teaching portfolio includes courses on cosmology, galaxy studies, observational astronomy, and an introductory astronomy course with laboratory components.

Dr. Mowla earned her B.A. from Wellesley College and her Ph.D. from Yale University in 2020 under the guidance of Prof. Pieter van Dokkum. She previously served as a Dunlap Postdoctoral Fellow at the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto.

Her research focuses on understanding the structural transformations of galaxies over cosmic time. Recently, she has been analyzing James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) data to study distant galaxies like the Sparkler, Earendel, and Cosmic Gems, which provide insights into early star formation. She is developing the J-HIVE project to create homogeneous catalogs of galaxy properties and improve global access to JWST datasets through open software and machine learning techniques.

Dr. Mowla is committed to inclusivity and accessibility in astronomy. She leads the Mirror group at Whitin Observatory to highlight overlooked contributions in astronomical history and founded Durbin, a mobile astrophotography initiative in Bangladesh. At Wellesley, her Stellar group organizes community stargazing events.