The faculty and students based on the UMBC campus and those based at NASA's nearby Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) conduct research in a wide variety of astrophysical fields. These scientists perform fundamental research (theoretical and/or observational), hardware and/or software design & development, and instrument calibration.

At the current time UMBC scientists are involved in the following areas of research (alphabetically):

• Astrophysical Data Reduction & Interpretation
  

  including	observations of Galactic & ExtraGalactic X- & Gamma-ray sources, observations of ExtraGalactic InfraRed sources, gravitational-wave observations using LIGO, observations of Cosmic Rays, observations of energetic Solar particles.
  using	data obtained by the ACE, CXO, HST, RXTE, Spitzer, Suzarku, Swift, XMM-Newton satellites and various ground-based facilities.

• Space Science Technology Development & Calibration

  including	development of grazing-incidence mirrors, development of high-energy detectors, development of UV/Optical photon-counting detectors.
  for	(possible) inclusion on the 3-DTI, IXO, Fermi, JWST missions, along with other terrestrial applications.

• Theoretical Astrophysics, Simulations & Software Development

  including	simulations of Sources of Gravitational Waves, simulations of Astrophysical Jets, simulations of Gamma-Ray Bursts.
  in support of	observations performed by the CXO, LIGO, LISA facilities.

Given the breath of astrophysical fields researched by UMBC Faculty based on-Campus & at GSFC, and indeed the breath of research conducted at GSFC, there are numerous opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate research. Potential Graduate Students should also check out UMBC's Graduate Student Page.