Cameron Morgan
PHD STUDENT, PHYSICS
Exploring galactic mysteries and a lifelong fascination
SCIENCE
Cameron Morgan
PHD STUDENT, PHYSICS
Exploring galactic mysteries and a lifelong fascination
From a young age, Cameron Morgan was filled with a sense of wonder about what’s out there in the universe, far beyond the reaches of our galaxy.
While he didn’t know his passion would take him all the way to doctoral studies at the University of Waterloo, he says “it was always the plan” to follow the questions that fascinated him as a child.
Now, as a PhD student in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Cameron’s research explores galaxy evolution, looking at how galaxies in clusters evolve over time from star-forming to “red and dead.”
The research is one piece of the puzzle that can help us answer fundamental questions about how our universe has developed over billions of years – and continues to evolve.
Out-of-this-world research
“Astrophysics research in the last 100 years has really pushed from only being able to look at the most nearby galaxies to now looking at galaxies that are near the edge of our observable universe,” Cameron says.
“Pushing that further and further has always captivated my interest because there’s always something new to discover.”
For his doctoral research, Cameron is particularly interested in the processes that occur in very dense environments called galaxy clusters where hundreds or thousands of galaxies interact with each other and their environment. Researchers are still piecing together the processes by which galaxies evolve in these environments — different from what happens in more isolated galaxies — and Cameron hopes to add to this emerging body of knowledge.
His study, supervised by Dr. Michael Balogh, looks at the “nearby” Virgo cluster, the closest massive galaxy cluster to our position in the universe — albeit 50 million light years away.
Using high-resolution images from the Canada-France-Hawaii telescope on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, Cameron’s research sets out to uncover clues about how galaxies in the cluster have evolved. That work involves writing and running computer code to measure properties of the galaxies in these images, and inferring what trends in the measurements can tell us about galaxy evolution.
Piecing together a cosmic puzzle
While the massive scale of his research can be overwhelming at times, Cameron says the quest to expand humankind’s knowledge of the universe is ultimately a collaborative one. His time at Waterloo has given him the opportunity to work with scholars both at the University and around the world.
“It is pretty crazy to think about just how many years and how much data and how many researchers it takes to even make a dent in the progress we’re trying to make,” he says.
“But one thing I like about working in astronomy is that you have a lot of opportunity for collaboration, not only at Waterloo but also around the globe. It makes you realize that, even as an individual researcher, you are contributing to this bigger picture.”
On top of his doctoral research, Cameron is involved in an exciting national project — the launch of Canada’s flagship space telescope mission, dubbed The Cosmological Advanced Survey Telescope for Optical and uv Research, or CASTOR for short. The initiative is currently in an early stage of development in which a team of researchers, including Cameron and his supervisor, are teasing out what types of data the telescope will be capable of collecting and the science that can be done with that data.
Although CASTOR likely won’t launch until later this decade, Cameron says he’s excited to play a role in what promises to be a major milestone for the Canadian astronomy community.
A shared “sense of wonder”
For Cameron, who completed both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physics and astronomy at the University, staying on for his PhD was the obvious choice. On top of “really great opportunities for research and innovation at Waterloo,” he says strong connections with faculty and graduate students “solidified his decision” to continue on an academic path.
Studying at the Waterloo Centre for Astrophysics has connected him with researchers investigating diverse topics — everything from cosmology to galaxies to black holes. And he’s been able to share his own passion for astrophysics, too.
As a teaching assistant and volunteer at Waterloo’s Gustav Bakos Observatory, Cameron hosted outreach events and led tours aimed at introducing community groups to the wonders of space. After a short talk about “backyard astronomy” — the kind anyone can do with the naked eye, like observing meteor showers or picking out visible planets — Cameron would take visitors to the roof of the Physics building to peer through a twelve-inch telescope and see marvels like Saturn’s rings or Jupiter’s red spot.
“Being an astronomer, you get to talk to so many different people who have an interest in astronomy — whether they’re researchers or astrophotographers or kids like I was 20 years ago, reading books about astronomy,” he says.
“I feel like everyone has at least a little bit of this fascination with space and the universe. Being able to share that sense of wonder with people is something I really enjoy.”
Out-of-this-world research
“Astrophysics research in the last 100 years has really pushed from only being able to look at the most nearby galaxies to now looking at galaxies that are near the edge of our observable universe,” Cameron says.
“Pushing that further and further has always captivated my interest because there’s always something new to discover.”
For his doctoral research, Cameron is particularly interested in the processes that occur in very dense environments called galaxy clusters where hundreds or thousands of galaxies interact with each other and their environment. Researchers are still piecing together the processes by which galaxies evolve in these environments — different from what happens in more isolated galaxies — and Cameron hopes to add to this emerging body of knowledge.
His study, supervised by Dr. Michael Balogh, looks at the “nearby” Virgo cluster, the closest massive galaxy cluster to our position in the universe — albeit 50 million light years away.
Using high-resolution images from the Canada-France-Hawaii telescope on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, Cameron’s research sets out to uncover clues about how galaxies in the cluster have evolved. That work involves writing and running computer code to measure properties of the galaxies in these images, and inferring what trends in the measurements can tell us about galaxy evolution.
Piecing together a cosmic puzzle
While the massive scale of his research can be overwhelming at times, Cameron says the quest to expand humankind’s knowledge of the universe is ultimately a collaborative one. His time at Waterloo has given him the opportunity to work with scholars both at the University and around the world.
“It is pretty crazy to think about just how many years and how much data and how many researchers it takes to even make a dent in the progress we’re trying to make,” he says.
“But one thing I like about working in astronomy is that you have a lot of opportunity for collaboration, not only at Waterloo but also around the globe. It makes you realize that, even as an individual researcher, you are contributing to this bigger picture.”
On top of his doctoral research, Cameron is involved in an exciting national project — the launch of Canada’s flagship space telescope mission, dubbed The Cosmological Advanced Survey Telescope for Optical and uv Research, or CASTOR for short. The initiative is currently in an early stage of development in which a team of researchers, including Cameron and his supervisor, are teasing out what types of data the telescope will be capable of collecting and the science that can be done with that data.
Although CASTOR likely won’t launch until later this decade, Cameron says he’s excited to play a role in what promises to be a major milestone for the Canadian astronomy community.
A shared “sense of wonder”
For Cameron, who completed both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physics and astronomy at the University, staying on for his PhD was the obvious choice. On top of “really great opportunities for research and innovation at Waterloo,” he says strong connections with faculty and graduate students “solidified his decision” to continue on an academic path.
Studying at the Waterloo Centre for Astrophysics has connected him with researchers investigating diverse topics — everything from cosmology to galaxies to black holes. And he’s been able to share his own passion for astrophysics, too.
As a teaching assistant and volunteer at Waterloo’s Gustav Bakos Observatory, Cameron hosted outreach events and led tours aimed at introducing community groups to the wonders of space. After a short talk about “backyard astronomy” — the kind anyone can do with the naked eye, like observing meteor showers or picking out visible planets — Cameron would take visitors to the roof of the Physics building to peer through a twelve-inch telescope and see marvels like Saturn’s rings or Jupiter’s red spot.
“Being an astronomer, you get to talk to so many different people who have an interest in astronomy — whether they’re researchers or astrophotographers or kids like I was 20 years ago, reading books about astronomy,” he says.
“I feel like everyone has at least a little bit of this fascination with space and the universe. Being able to share that sense of wonder with people is something I really enjoy.”