The Bates Galaxies Lab

The Bates Astrophysics Galaxy Evolution Lab (or the “BAGEL”) uses large datasets from ground- and space-based telescopes to study several different galaxies and their unique traits. With this data, astrophysicists can evaluate how gas penetrates various galaxies, forms stars, and fuels the growth of supermassive black holes. We can also evaluate and continue questioning how energy and momentum from massive stars and black holes expel gas out of these galaxies.

The BAGEL is established and run under Professor Aleksandar M. Diamond-Stanic, Professor of Physics and Astronomy as well as Chair of the Department at Bates College. Aleksandar (Aleks) Diamond-Stanic received his BA in Physics from Carleton College and his PhD in Astronomy from the University of Arizona.  He was a Center for Galaxy Evolution Fellow at the University of California, San Diego and a Grainger Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison before joining the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Bates College.  His research focuses on the evolution of galaxies and the growth of supermassive black holes through cosmic time.  He brings an enthusiasm for interactive teaching methods and student engagement in research, cultivating an environment that is welcoming, equitable, and supportive of growth and success.

Start by Looking Up

background stuff

Active Projects

JWST and EBoss explaining

Previous Work

Over the years, our students and researchers have collaborated to work on different projects. Whether it’s for a senior thesis project or summer research, the BAGEL has stimulated academic growth and curious minds since 2016. By evaluating our past discoveries, we can begin to question what we know and work to uncover the breakthroughs of the future.

Rebecca Minsley presents at AAS, January 2020, on molecular gas heating and modified dust properties in active galaxies based on summer research done here in Hawai’i and now submitted to The Astrophysical Journal!
Sophia and Josh standing with their poster
Sophia Gottlieb and Josh Rines, members of the First BAGEL Team, present their combined research at Bates’ Annual Mt. David Summit in March 2017.
Fahim Khan and his Mt. David Summit Poster
Fahim Khan, class of 2020, presents his research at the Mt. David Summer in 2017 after an independent study on Galactic Spectroscopy in 3D.
BAGEL researchers have a discussion with Professor Aleks Diamond-Stanic about the absorption spectrum from one of the many galaxies they are evaluating over the summer. (2017)
On Back to Bates weekend, sophomores Fahim Khan and Chris Bradna eagerly present their summer research. Khan and Bradna spent this summer working in Team MANGA, a branch of the BAGEL exploring what extraplanar gas can tell us about the galactic quenching of star formation.
Kwamae Delva and King Valdez representing the BAGEL at Back to Bates weekend (2017), as they present their summer research on High-Velocity Outflows in compact Starburst Galaxies with Absorbtion-Line Spectroscopy at High Spectral Resolution.
Our student researchers Rebecca Minsley and Emily Woods showcase their work on Extraplanar Gas Flows in the MaNGA Galaxy Survey at Back to Bates weekend (2018).
Two student researchers present their research on Compact Galaxies with Dust Outflows and Stellar Mass Profiles from Hubble Images at SACNAS 2018 in San Antonio, Texas.
Brandon Gustavo Villalta Lopez ‘25 and Jade Pinto’25 at a conference presentation at NDiSTEM2022 in Puerto Rico.

Creating a Community

Bates Galaxies Lab has brought together various individuals of different interests, class years, and backgrounds through a shared love of exploration and learning. Every presentation, project, and research trip brings each student closer to understanding where their own curiosity lies. This exciting journey is one we take as a team each year. Our interest in the galaxies around our own Milky Way, as well as the science that supports our current understanding of the universe, is what brings us together to create an environment stimulating growth, inquisitiveness, and a quest for knowledge.

Two members of the BAGEL team bravely ponder the nature of our universe (Cloudcroft, New Mexico, 2017).
Senyo Ohene ’20 reads a passage from Whistling Vivaldi by Claude Steele, as part of the Galaxies Lab series called Social Justice Fridays, where members of our team read and discuss literature and current events on the intersection of STEM and identity.
Reflecting on our Science Selfies in a mirror that is 3.5 meters across, from our April 2017 trip to Apache Point Observatory in Sunspot, New Mexico.
The summer 2019 BAGEL crew represents at Apache Point Observatory in New Mexico.
Graduating Physics Students, Class of 2022.
Foundations of Astronomical Data Science (2022)—Day 1. Featuring Brandon Gustavo Villalta Lopez ‘25.
Charlie Rubin’23 at the AAS240 Student Reception (2022).
Graduating Physics Students, Class of 2025.