Michael Richmond

Michael Richmond is a Professor at the School of Physics and Astronomy within the College of Science at Rochester Institute of Technology. He serves as the director of the RIT Observatory and acts as a liaison between RIT and the WIYN 0.9m telescope at Kitt Peak. His academic background includes a BA from Princeton University and MA/PhD from the University of California at Berkeley.

• Education
  • BA, Princeton University
  • MA, PhD, University of California at Berkeley

Richmond's research spans multiple areas of astronomy, including variable stars, supernovae, exoplanets, and astronomical image processing. He has contributed to significant projects like the SDSS-II Supernova Survey and the Tomoe Gozen project, focusing on optical transient detection. His work often intersects with observational techniques, instrumentation, and the study of active galactic nuclei (AGNs).

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on transient events (e.g., supernovae, dwarf novae), exoplanet detection (e.g., circumbinary planets, photometry), and AGN torus studies (e.g., dust reverberation, cloud orientation). His expertise in photometry and time-domain astronomy is evident across these works.

Scientific Awards

• Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowship (2011, $15,000)

Richmond actively mentors students through courses like ASTP-613 (Astronomical Observational Techniques), ASTP-790/890 (Research & Thesis), and PHYS-371/372 (Galactic/Extragalactic Astrophysics). He has also secured grants for international collaboration and developed astronomical software such as XVista and Match.

His outreach efforts include public talks on eclipses, exoplanets, and space weather, with upcoming presentations for the 2024 solar eclipse. He also contributes to amateur astronomy communities and software tools for small-telescope research.