University of California, Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara provides a rich environment for astronomical research with Las Cumbres Observatory headquarters located only two miles from the UC Santa Barbara campus. The UCSB Physics Department has an active Astronomy and Astrophysics group and the campus also hosts the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics (KITP). LCO and UCSB have multiple scientific ties and work to increase scientific collaboration and opportunities between our organizations.

• Lars Bildsten, Director of the KITP, chairs the LCO Board of Directors.
• Andy Howell, LCO staff scientist, is adjunct faculty at UCSB. LCO scientists Tim Lister, Curtis McCully, and Rachel Street are affiliate Researchers.
• LCO scientists advise several UCSB graduate students, who have offices at our headquarters. Andy Howell has mentored, employed, and trained several UCSB PhD students who have gone on to hold prestigious postdoc positions.
• Postdoctoral fellows at LCO share resources with UCSB, including weekly science meetings and seminars.
• LCO invites UCSB undergraduates to participate in its Intern Program. Over the past two years, LCO has hosted 10 UCSB undergraduates as interns.
• UCSB Physics faculty and postdocs can apply for LCO telescope time.
• LCO and UCSB collaborate on outreach activities such as seminars and Astronomy on Tap, providing enrichment for LCO, UCSB, and the public.