Monique Aller

Dr. Monique Aller serves as an Associate Professor of Physics & Astronomy at Georgia Southern University, where she is affiliated with the Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Physics within the College of Science and Mathematics. Her office is located in Room 2050 of the Math/Physics Building on the Statesboro Campus, and she teaches courses including Astronomy of the Solar System, Galactic Astronomy, and Principles of Physics I.

Dr. Aller earned her B.A. in Physics & Medieval/Renaissance Studies from Wellesley College, followed by M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Astronomy & Astrophysics from the University of Michigan. She completed postdoctoral research at the Institute of Astronomy, ETH Zurich and served as a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of South Carolina.

Her research program focuses on observationally investigating fundamental galaxy components including interstellar dust and gas, galaxy stellar populations, and supermassive black holes. She explores the evolution of connections between these components over the past ~10 billion years using ground- and space-based facilities ranging from ultraviolet to infrared wavelengths, including the Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope, Gemini-South Telescope, and the James Webb Space Telescope. Her current work examines dust composition in distant galaxies, connections between dust evolution and metal enrichment, and star formation triggers in polar ring galaxies.

Analysis of Dr. Aller's recent publications reveals consistent focus on galaxy dust properties, particularly silicate and carbonaceous dust in distant galaxies. Her work frequently examines polar ring galaxies and blazars through multi-wavelength observations to understand dust composition, gas properties, and star formation mechanisms. A significant portion of her recent work involves upcoming James Webb Space Telescope observations, indicating her leadership in planning for next-generation astronomical research.

Her research contributions include:

• Investigating interstellar dust composition in distant vs. local galaxies through spectral absorption features
• Examining connections between dust grain evolution, interstellar gas properties, and metal enrichment
• Studying stellar structures and dust distribution in polar ring galaxies
• Conducting long-term monitoring of blazars like Mrk 421 and Mrk 501

Dr. Aller has secured telescope time through multiple successful proposals to major facilities including Hubble and JWST. She maintains active collaborations with researchers at the University of South Carolina and international teams studying active galactic nuclei, contributing to significant publications in leading astronomy journals through 2025.