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An astrophysicist who enjoys the freedom of project-based learning, Huanqing Chen combines computer simulations with observations to study the epoch of reionization. This epoch is an early period of the universe when the first generation of galaxies and supermassive black holes formed. When she’s not enjoying the outdoors while strolling Augustana’s beautiful campus, she’s working to answer one of the earliest questions: How did it all start?

When and how did you know you wanted to study physics and astronomy?

I was attracted to astronomy books when I was in primary school. Later on, I loved solving problems using math and physics. I learned that as an astronomy major, I would learn all kinds of math, physics, and computer science and have the bonus of using telescopes. So I chose to major in astronomy.

What’s a discovery you’ve made in your research that would surprise people?

I used a special region near quasars (an extremely luminous type of active galactic nucleus powered by supermassive black holes) to measure the density field. This was the first time the continuous density field had been measured at such an early cosmic epoch. The results show that supermassive black holes do not always reside in the densest environments in the universe, which challenges previous assumptions.

What’s one big problem you want to address or a goal you want to achieve in your work?

I want to understand how the first galaxies and supermassive black holes formed and how they drive the reionization of the intergalactic medium.

What brought you to working at Augustana?

Augustana’s project-based learning and small class sizes allow me to interact with students using creative teaching styles. I can design projects using the small telescope here. People here are friendly, and the campus is beautiful and close to nature.

How do you see the Augustana community playing a role in your work?

People here are supportive of creative teaching and learning. I have the freedom to design my project-based teaching. For example, I recently used the telescope to observe a comet and incorporated it into my astrophysics teaching. I can also collaborate with colleagues from very different backgrounds.

Where did you grow up and what’s distinct to you about your hometown?

Nanchang, China. It is famous for the Pavilion of Prince Teng, one of the Four Great Towers of China. Many students in China have to recite the famous parallel prose preface by Bo Wang, “Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng,” in high school! Lol.

What accomplishment in your life or work are you most proud of?

Scientifically, I’ve made breakthroughs in understanding reionization using quasars. I’ve also supervised and mentored some brilliant students. Personally, I’ve travelled to many amazing places. These are all things that my younger self would never have thought possible!

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

“You need to move on,” came from my undergrad mentor. Sometimes, I was such a perfectionist that I’d get stuck on something for too long.

What’s the last TV show or podcast series you binged?

I haven’t binged any shows for a while. I think the last show I watched was probably either The White Lotus or My Brilliant Friend, early in the pandemic.

What’s a book or film you would tell someone to read or watch to get to know you better?

What Stars Are Made Of: The Life of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin. It is a biography about the great astronomer who first used rigorous physics to correctly demonstrate that stars are primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, which contradicted the mainstream view at the time. This had a profound impact on stellar physics and even cosmology, yet it took decades for the community to accept her findings. Even today, her contributions are not fully credited in many popular science books. The book highlights the obstacles faced by under-represented minorities and what it takes to become a great scientist.

Who’s someone living or dead that you wish you could take for a coffee? And what would you talk to them about?

Alan Turing. I first learned about him when I read a popular math book in high school. He made tremendous contributions to computer science and machine intelligence but was persecuted for his sexuality in his early 40s, which may have led him to take his own life. Today, we benefit from the progress of artificial intelligence, an area where he helped lay the early foundations. However, it's unclear whether humanity is using it in a just way. I’d love to talk to him about what he was thinking just before his death and what he might think about the development of artificial intelligence and society today. 

If you had to eat the same meal every day for a week, what would it be?

I would eat dumplings, but the flavour has to change every day.

Learn more about Huanqing

is an astrophysicist studying the epoch of reionization, a fascinating early period when the first generation of galaxies formed in the universe. She combines computer simulations with observations to infer the conditions of the early universe. When she is not working, you will most likely find her on the ski and bike trails or walking or running with her dog.