Sara Ellison

Sara Ellison is a Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Victoria. Her research focuses on multi-wavelength studies of galaxies and AGN, QSO absorption lines, and the evolution of galaxies through cosmic time. She leads projects such as the UNIONS survey, analyzing galaxy mergers and their impacts on star formation and AGN activity. Ellison has secured significant grants including NSERC Discovery Accelerator (2007-2010) and CFI infrastructure funding.

Her work combines observational data, simulations, and machine learning to explore interstellar/intergalactic media, chemical enrichment, and environmental effects on galaxies. Notable collaborations include the GalNet initiative and the XQ-100 survey, which study neutral gas and metals at high redshift. Ellison’s research has been recognized in awards like the shared 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Physics.

Key projects include the MAGPI survey (tracking star formation trends) and the FLASH survey (HI absorption studies). She advises a research group focusing on post-merger galaxies, AGN triggering, and cosmological simulations. Ellison’s contributions span over 150 publications, emphasizing galaxy evolution mechanisms and observational techniques.