New center launches with focus on early stars and galaxies – Arizona State University

February 2, 2022

A new center at Arizona State University aims to help us better understand the history of early stars, galaxies and black holes to enhance our knowledge of the universe.

The Beus Center for Cosmic Foundations was founded in theSchool of Earth and Space Explorationthrough a generous gift by philanthropists Leo and Annette Beus.

We have witnessed great outcomes at ASU and are grateful to be a part of this new opportunity to advance cosmic exploration, said Leo Beus, co-founder of Beus Gilbert McGroder PLLC who has practiced law in the Valley for 51 years. This investment enables us to support highly skilled researchers in their quest to understand the beginnings of stars and galaxies.

In addition to establishing a new center, the $8 million endowed gift includes a named professorship and named chair.

This center provides a legacy we can leave to our children and grandchildren who love exploring the stars as much as Leo and I do, Annette Beus said. Its always rewarding to see how our investments advance the universitys mission.

The Beuses have made a lasting impact on Arizona State University through their philanthropic investments that include theBeus Center for Law and Society, Sun Devil Athletics, theBeus Compact X-ray Free Electron Laser (CXFEL) Labin theBiodesign Instituteand numerous scholarships to increase student access to a college education.

Leo and Annette Beus are longtime supporters of ASU and are critical to the universitys mission and success, ASU PresidentMichael M. Crowsaid.This recent investment will advance current research in star formation as well as ASUs world-renowned space program.

ASU researchers have access to the most advanced astronomical observatories globally and in Earths orbit. The Beuses investment will help researchers understand what first stars were like and how they interplay with their galactic environments. In conjunction with ASU engineers and instrument developers, the center unites a premier group in the development and deployment of technologies and techniques to enable transformational observations of the universe.

"The Beus Center for Cosmic Foundations will allow faculty and students at ASU to explore the origins of the universe like never before, saidKenro Kusumi, dean of natural sciences in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. As a leader in cosmology and astronomy research, the School of Earth and Space Exploration continues to create new technologies that revolutionize our ability to understand the universe."

School of Earth and Space Exploration DirectorMeenakshi Wadhwasaid the center builds upon ASUs tradition of leading major advances in understanding the formation of galaxies and stars.

The Beus Center will help to advance this research into the next era of discovery through cutting-edge observational and theoretical astrophysics, as well as the development of innovative new technologies and tools for such research, Wadhwa said. In doing so, it will play a key role in advancing a core mission of our school by combining science and engineering for exploration and discovery.

Judd Bowman, professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration, will serve as the inaugural endowed chair of the center and is recognized for his teams pioneering instrument, opening new views of the birth of stars that was named among the top 10 "Breakthroughs of the Year by Physics World.

This generous gift from the Beuses enables ASU researchers to make new discoveries into one of humanitys oldest questions: What is our place in the cosmos? Bowman said. Were looking forward to accelerating our research into one of the most mysterious events in the history of the universe the birth of the first stars.

Allison Noble, an assistant professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration, will serve as the inaugural endowed professor.

There are still so many unanswered questions in the field of galaxy formation and evolution, and the Beus Center for Cosmic Foundations will bring together experts at ASU and attract researchers from around the world to investigate each transformational epoch in the history of the universe from the birth of galaxies at cosmic dawn, to their peak assembly at cosmic noon, and to their final stage today at cosmic dusk, Noble said.

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New center launches with focus on early stars and galaxies - Arizona State University