Cameron Hummels

As a research scientist at Caltech Cameron spends most of his time using computer simulations to model how galaxies form and evolve over the age of the universe, but he also performs research in other areas of astronomy. He has used the Arecibo radio telescope to observe fuel for star formation in other galaxies, and he has investigated how explosions occur on the surface of the Moon.

He received his B. A. in Computer Science from Pomona College, his M.A. in Astronomy from Wesleyan University, and his Ph.D. in Astronomy from Columbia University in 2012. He was a postdoc at University of Arizona, and he is currently a Research Scientist at Caltech.

He is very passionate about public science education, working as the Director of Caltech’s astrophysics outreach program. This includes organizing roughly 50 educational events per year, including their monthly public lectures, Astronomy on Tap events, and star parties in several national parks. He was recently the Astronomer in Residence at the Grand Canyon National Park.

He recently set a record fastpacking an off-trail unsupported traverse of Death Valley from its northern tip to its southern tip in February 2022 covering 170 miles in four days, and there is an article about it in the LA Times here.