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Stuart Ryder is an Adjunct Fellow at the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Macquarie University, and a member of the Astrophysics and Space Technologies Research Centre. He also serves part-time as a Program Manager with Astronomy Australia Limited at Macquarie University, where he oversees Australia’s strategic partnerships with the European Southern Observatory and the Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time. Previously, he led the International Telescopes Support Office at the Australian Astronomical Observatory.
- PhD in Astronomy & Astrophysics, Australian National University (1989–1993)
- B.Sc. (First Class Honours) in Astronomy, University of Canterbury (1985–1988)
Dr. Ryder's research focuses on astronomical transients, particularly core-collapse supernovae and Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs). He co-leads the SUNBIRD collaboration, which uses advanced infrared adaptive optics on 8–10 metre class telescopes (Gemini, Keck, Subaru, VLT) to uncover obscured supernovae. He has flown eight missions on NASA’s SOFIA observatory. His work with the CRAFT collaboration on FRB localization led to the 2021 AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Prize for the most impactful paper in Science in 2019/20. In 2023, his team discovered the most distant FRB to date, originating from a compact galaxy group nearly 8 billion years ago.
The recent publications of Dr. Ryder reflect a strong trend in high-energy transient astrophysics, particularly in the optical and radio follow-up of FRBs and supernovae. His work integrates multi-wavelength observations and international collaborations to probe cosmic phenomena such as baryonic matter distribution, host galaxy properties, and the origins of explosive transients. Key journals include Science, Nature, and Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, indicating high-impact contributions to astrophysics and cosmology.
- AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Prize (2021) – for the most impactful paper in Science (2019/20)
- Allison-Levick Lecturer (2023)
Dr. Ryder has supervised several research students, including Erik Kool (PhD, Macquarie), Igor Andreoni (PhD, Swinburne), Lachlan Marnoch (MRes and PhD, Macquarie), and Srivardini Ayyappann (MRes, Macquarie). He is involved in major collaborative projects such as the MQAAAstro research centre at Macquarie University. His external role as Program Manager with Astronomy Australia Ltd involves strategic engagement with international observatories, facilitating Australian access to cutting-edge facilities. Future research will likely continue to explore FRB origins, supernova populations, and cosmological applications of transients.
Dr. Ryder is a key member of the CRAFT and SUNBIRD collaborations, leading optical follow-up campaigns for FRBs and infrared studies of supernovae. His work involves close coordination with international teams using the Very Large Telescope, SOFIA, and radio arrays like ASKAP. These teams are at the forefront of transient astronomy, combining data from multiple observatories to achieve precise localizations and physical characterizations of cosmic explosions.
