Alan Marscher

Alan Marscher is Professor of Astronomy in the College of Arts & Sciences. Through his research, he explores high-energy astrophysics and the nature of extragalactic phenomena, including black holes and exploding stars.

For more than 25 years, Professor Marscher has shaped the way non-science majors approach scientific inquiry, providing a grounding that goes galaxies beyond the fulfillment of requirements and instead, sparks in students a lasting fascination with the laws of the universe and their impact on humanity. A champion of in-class discussion and demonstration, Professor Marscher infuses lectures with equal parts Mr. Wizard and science fundamentals, colorfully illuminating questions of astronomy, our origins, and our future.

Professor Marscher’s Cosmology and Core Curriculum courses are demanding. They’re also memorable. Challenging assignments are punctuated by class visits to the Hayden Planetarium or to the College of Arts & Sciences’ roof, where Professor Marscher sets up telescopes to view planets, the moon, and binary stars. And then there are the songs—about black holes, gravity, and atoms—which he composes and enthusiastically performs to help clarify difficult material.

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