BSU Department of Physics Invites You to Join the First Friday Astronomy.
First Friday Astronomy is open to the public and happens every first Friday (even in the summer months).
Lectures start at 7:30 pm (MT) in the Education/Science Building, room 112. Events are open to the public and donation-supported.
You can donate at boi.st/astronomy and live-stream at boi.st/astrobroncoslive.
*Please note, our location has changed to the Education building for the summer series. The Liberal Arts building is closed for construction.
Summer 2025 Line Up:

List of presenters:
- May 2, 2025 – Dr. Brittany Brand, Professor of Geosciences and Director of Boise State Hazard and Climate Resilience Institute (HCRI) – Volcanism in the Solar System – From Earth to lo
- June 6, 2025 – Dr. Daniel Peluso, STEAM Educator, Researcher, & Program Developer, Griffin Technology Academies – Democratizing Astronomy & Indigenous Knowledge through Music & Citizen Science
- July 4, 2025 – Dr. Brian Jackson, Professor of Physics, Boise State University – The Endless Frontier – Celebrating Two Centuries of US Support for Scientific Exploration
- TBD
Observatory:
For more information on our Observatory and events, please head to our Observatory webpage.
Physics Spring Colloquium Series:
Lectures start at 1:30 pm in MPCB408.
Attend Virtually: https://boisestate.zoom.us/j/95312560855

List of presenters:
- January 24, 2025 – Profs. Dmitri Tenne, Laxman Mainali, Matthew Ferguson, & Byung Kim, Department of Physics – Lightning Talks
- January 31, 2025 – Professor Eric Hayden, Department of Biological Sciences – The RNA World: Exploring Missing Links in the Molecular Origins of Life
- February 7, 2025 – Professor Yonuk Chong, Department of Nano Engineering, SungKyunKwan University – Development of superconducting quantum processor in SKKU Quantum Fab
- February 14, 2025 – Professor Peter Mullner & Professor Steve Crowley, Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering and Department of Philosophy – Interdisciplinary Teaching: The Case of Mining and Materials Resources Sustainability
- VIRTUAL ONLY – February 21, 2025 – Dr. Jeff Morgenthaler, Senior Scientist at the Planetary Science Institute – The Io Input/Output observatory (IoIO): a small-aperture coronagraph
for Io geologic and Jovian magnetospheric studies - February 28, 2025 – Professor Josh Eixenberger, Department of Physics – Nanomaterials: Synthesis and Applications in the Biomedical, Energy, and Semiconductor Fields
- LOCATION CHANGE TO MP101 – March 7, 2025 – Dr. Rachel Smith, Head, Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Lab and Curator of Meteorites, NC Museum of Natural Sciences – Observations of Protoplanetary Chemistry in Forming Stars: Implications for the Early Solar SystemD
- March 14, 2025 – Professor Mahmood Mamivand, Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering – Materials Morphology Engineering with Deep Learning
- March 28, 2025 – Professor Jenée Cyran, Department of Chemistry – Probing the Structure and Physiochemical Behaviour of Organic Pollutants at Aqueous Interfaces.
- April 4, 2025 – Professor John E. Moores, Director, Graduate Program in Earth and Space Sciences at York University – Probing the Physics of Planetary Volatiles
- April 11, 2025 – Professor Owen McDougal, Department of Chemistry – Evaluating Pulsed Electric Field Technology to Improve the Efficiency of Dairy Powder Production
- April 18, 2025 – Professor Andrew Gase, Department of Geosciences – Discoveries from seismic imaging of New Zealand’s Hikurangi subduction zone
- April 25, 2025 – Professor Marie-Anne de Graaff, Department of Biological Sciences – Cryptic connections in soil and their influence on ecosystem functioning
Contact physics@boisestate.edu for questions.