The Waterloo Centre for Astrophysics is delighted to welcome Skylar Grayson as our new Postdoctoral Fellow and Outreach Coordinator. We are excited to have Skylar join our community and bring her enthusiasm for both astrophysics and science communication to WCA.
Her research focuses on galaxy evolution, particularly understanding how feedback from supermassive black holes shapes galaxies and their surrounding environments. She works extensively with cosmological hydrodynamic simulations, using them to investigate how different feedback mechanisms influence the diffuse gas around galaxies and comparing those predictions with observations. She is also a Guest Scientist in the XRISM Collaboration, where she studies high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy to better understand the circumgalactic and intracluster medium.
Skylar brings incredible energy and creativity to science outreach. Through her popular “Space According to Skylar” social media channels, she has connected over half a million people with astronomy, sharing the excitement of discovery and making complex scientific ideas accessible and engaging for broad audiences. Whether she's creating online content, speaking at public events, or visiting classrooms, Skylar is passionate about sparking curiosity and helping people see themselves in science.
Her commitment to public engagement extends well beyond social media. Skylar has contributed to Astrobites, helped organize Astronomy on Tap: Valley of the Sun, and participated in astronomy education research focused on how people learn science in online environments. This combination of outreach experience, creativity, and educational insight makes her a wonderful addition to the Waterloo Centre for Astrophysics and its growing outreach programs.
We look forward to the creativity, energy, and expertise Skylar will bring to both our research community and our outreach programs. Please join us in giving her a warm welcome to the WCA!