MEMS Devices and Astronomical Spectroscopy

Sheinis, Andrew I, Santa Cruz CA

Investigators

Abstract

AST-0201657 Sheinis, Andrew Dr. Sheinis is awarded an NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship to carry out a program of research and education at the Center for Adaptive Optics at the University of California Santa Cruz. His primary focus will be the development of an astronomical spectrograph which uses Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) technology. This new technology should allow a spectrograph to have multi-slit capability without the construction of a fixed multi-slit mask for each observation. He will use the new instrument to obtain optical and near-IR spectra of QSO's in order to study the environment of the host galaxies. As part of his fellowship, he will participate in the center's Science, Engineering and Technology Training program which targets undergraduates underrepresented in those areas. Twice every year, he will give a one-week seminar on general optics to these students in order to prepare them for participation in group research projects. ***