Colette SalykFaculty - Vassar College

Colette Salyk Assistant Professor of Astronomy

Profile
Contact
In the Media
Photos

Dr. Salyk teaches courses in planetary science, observational astronomy, and introductory physics. She studies the formation of planets using both ground- and space-based telescopes. In particular, she studies the relationship between protoplanetary disk properties (including chemical composition) and planetary diversity.

BS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; MS, PhD, California Institute of Technology.
At Vassar since 2015

Contact

Email: cosalyk@vassar.edu
Phone: 845-437-7075
Office: Sanders Physics
Box: 71

Website

Research and Academic Interests

Planetary Science
Observational Astronomy

Departments and Programs

Physics and Astronomy

Courses

ASTR 101. Solar System Astronomy
ASTR 330. Extrasolar planets and planet formation

In the Media

Vassar College assistant prof has her eye on the sky

Colette Salyk, Assistant Professor of Astronomy, and her work gathering evidence of Earth-sized planets in our galaxy, were the subjects of a Daily Freeman story.

Out of Dust, Nascent Planets

Vassar Assistant Professor Colette Salyk and 25 other astronomers have published a paper announcing they have gathered new evidence about how planets are forming in other parts of the galaxy. The discovery sheds light on how our own solar system was formed.

Vassar helps celebrate Maria Mitchell’s 200th

Two members of the science faculty and 11 science majors joined hundreds of others in the field to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Vassar’s first astronomy professor at the Maria Mitchell Association’s 2018 Women in Science Symposium Oct. 5 and 6 in Wellesley MA.

Exoplanets, Neandertals and other cool stuff

For nine weeks this summer, Vassar students and faculty engaged in independent research projects under the auspices of the Undergraduate Research Summer Institute.

The August 21 Eclipse

On August 21, 2017, North America was the site of an eclipse of the Sun, the first in our hemisphere since 1979. Assistant Professor of Astronomy Colette Salyk answered a few questions about the eclipse and how to prepare for it.

Photos

Download images for non-commercial use, photo credit required.

Education

PhD, Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, 2009
MS, Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, 2005
BS, Planetary Science, minor in Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2003

Teaching Interests

Dr. Salyk teaches courses in planetary science, observational astronomy, and introductory physics.

Research Interests

Dr. Salyk studies the formation of planets using both ground- and space-based telescopes. In particular, she studies the relationship between protoplanetary disk properties (including chemical composition) and planetary diversity.