Award for Excellence

Professor Stéphane Courteau is one of two recipients of the 2021 Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Supervision.

2021 Graduate Student Supervision Award

Along with my students and colleagues, I study the formation, evolution, structure, and distribution of galaxies. Research topics involve our own Milky Way, M31 and other nearby galaxies, stellar populations in external galaxies, galaxy dynamics, properties of field and cluster galaxies, scaling relations, distribution of visible and dark matter in the Universe, numerical simulations of galaxies, and testing cosmologically-motivated structure formation models. Central to my research efforts is the development of original tests to elucidate fundamental theoretical and/or empirical puzzles in extragalactic astronomy.

My research also involves assembling extensive data bases for structural parameters of nearby galaxies and applying/devising numerical methods for their analysis. Through observing programs that I lead, or via collaborations, my students have access to some of the best observational research facilities worldwide.

Research Interests

Formation, Structure and Evolution of Galaxies, Dark Matter, Galaxy Dynamics, Scaling Relations of Galaxies, Multi-Wavelength Data, Stellar Populations, Star Formation Histories, Numerical Methods, Large-Scale Structure of the Universe

Prospective Students, please read about research opportunities in my group