Curriculum Vitae - William C. Keel

Address: Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Alabama
Box 870324
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
Phone:(205) 348-1641
Fax:(205) 348-5051
Dept.:(205) 348-5050
Citizenship: United States
Birthplace: Jackson, Mississippi
Birthdate: 22 September 1957

Education:

  • B.A., Physics/Astronomy, Vanderbilt University 1978
  • Ph.D., Astronomy, University of California, Santa Cruz 1982

    Employment History:

    1996-Professor, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
    1991-1996Associate professor, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, University of Alabama
    1987-1991Assistant professor, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, University of Alabama
    1985-1987Senior research astronomer, Sterrewacht Leiden, Netherlands
    1982-1985Research associate, Kitt Peak National Observatory
    1981Teaching assistant, University of California, Santa Cruz
    1978-1981NSF Graduate Fellow, University of California, Santa Cruz


    Honors

    2006-2009 Arts and Sciences Leadership Board Fellow


    Affiliations: American Astronomical Society
    Astronomical Society of the Pacific
    International Astronomical Union

    Professional Activities:

    1988-95 Committee on Employment, American Astronomical Society
    1989 Chair, Local Organizing Committee, IAU Colloquium 124, "Paired and Interacting Galaxies"
    1989 NASA ROSAT Peer Review Panel (Active Galactic Nuclei)
    1990 Visiting Astronomer, USSR Academy of Sciences
    1991 NASA - Hubble Space Telescope Proposal Review Panel (Active Galaxies)
    1992 American Institute of Physics, panel on status of English translations of Russian astronomy journals
    1992-95 Kitt Peak National Observatory, Users' Committee
    1993 NASA - Hubble Space Telescope Proposal Review Panel (Active Galaxies)
    1993 NASA ROSAT Peer Review Panel (HRI Extragalactic)
    1993 NASA Astro-2 review panel (extragalactic, Chair)
    1994 NASA Astrophysics Data Program review (panel chair)
    1996 Organizing committee for meeting at Lowell Observatory, "The Role of Small Telescopes in Modern Astronomy"
    1995-7 NASA Infrared Telescope Allocation Committee
    1996 NASA - Hubble Space Telescope Proposal Review Panel
    1997 NASA - ROSAT Peer Review Panel (Chair, Galaxies)
    1998 NASA - AXAF cycle 1 review panel
    1998-9 STARLITE far-UV shuttle payload scientific team
    2000-2 National Optical Astronomy Observatories telescope allocation panel
    2002 NASA MIDEX review committee
    2002-5 Publications Board, Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
    2002NASA FUSE cycle 4 review panel
    2003NASA - Hubble Space Telescope Proposal Review Panel (cycle 12)
    2003NASA - NASA Astrophysics Data Program/Long-Term Space Astrophysics Review Panel (Normal galaxies, Chair)
    2004 NASA Astronomy and Physics Senior Review Panel
    2004 NASA Chandra Review Panel (Chair, AGN)
    2004NASA FUSE cycle 6 review panel (chair, extragalactic)
    2005- Editorial Board, Praxis Publishing
    2006NASA - Hubble Space Telescope Proposal Review Panel (cycle 15)
    2006 NASA "Universe" Senior Review Panel
    2006-7 Graduate Faculty Affiliate, University of Alabama in Huntsville
    2006-7 NASA FUSE Observer's Committee
    2007 National Science Foundation proposal review panel

    Students I've advised:

  • Jack Gallimore, M.S. 1990, Statistics of Interactions Among Infrared Galaxies
  • Jordan Burkey, M.S. 1993, Evolution of the Galaxy Merger Rate Using Deep HST/WFC Images
  • Lauren Jones, M.S. 1995, The UV-IR energy budget and far-infrared emission in spiral galaxies
  • Jose Maria Castro Ceron, M.S. 1997, A Statistical Analysis of the Optical Variability in the Palomar-Green QSOS
  • Victor Andersen, Ph.D. 1998, Search for Environmentally Driven Star Formation in Nearby Galaxy Clusters
  • Wentao Wu, Ph.D. 1999, Multiple-passband Hubble Space Telescope galaxy and pair counts as tests of galaxy evolution history
  • Alana May, M.S. (current), Growth history of massive black holes in galactic nuclei.
  • Branyon May, M.S.,2007, Ph.D. (current), The role of obscured active galactic nuclei in the X-ray background and the evolution of massive black holes.

    Other thesis and dissertation committees I've served on:

  • Mario Klaric, Ph.D. 1993, Role of cloud collisions in N-body simulations of disk galaxies
  • Duilia Rabaca, M.S. 1993
  • Carlos Rabaca, Ph.D. 1997, Test of Current Ideas about Compact Groups of Galaxies
  • Susan Gessner (Stewart), Ph.D. 1998, Star Formation Triggering Mechanisms Revealed by Far-Ultraviolet H-alpha and HI Images of Dwarf Galaxies
  • Guy Purcell, Ph.D. 1997, Properties of "Milky Way Galaxies"
  • Renato Dupke, Ph.D. 1998, Abundance Gradients in Clusters of Galaxies
  • Donovan Domingue, Ph.D. 2000, Infrared and Hydrogen-Alpha Emission from Galaxies in Mixed Morphology Pairs
  • Robert Mohr, Ph.D. 2001, Applications of Computational Dynamics to Study Optical Filament Formation as well as the NGC 206-M31 System
  • Haojing Yan, Ph.D. 2003 (Arizona State University), Probing the Luminosity Function of Galaxies at the Epoch of Reionization
  • Kevin McKinny, Ph.D. 2003, A Search for Astrophysical Electron Anti-Neutrinos at KAMLAND
  • Susan Elizabeth Thomas, Ph.D. (UA College of Education, 2006), Hermeneutic Phenomenological Multiple Case Study of the Cultural References of Elementary Teachers and the Place of Fundamentalist Southern Baptist Religion in Teaching Science
  • Patrick Treuthardt, Ph.D.2007, The Kinematics and Dynamics of Three Resonance Ring Barred Spiral Galaxies
  • Rebecca Grouchy, Ph.D. (2008), Properties of Non-Barred Ringed Glaaxies
  • Sebastian Zamfir, Ph.D. (current)
  • Adriana Durbala, Ph.D., (current), Nature versus Nurture: Exploring the Most Isolated Galaxies
  • Mihoko Yukita, Ph.D., Growth and Evolution of the M81 Group of Galaxies (current; UAH)

    Students I've supervised under the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program at UA:

  • Lisa Frattare (now at the Space Telescope Science Institite)
  • Paul Martini (now Ohio State University)
  • Sarah Benfer (now at the University of Minnesota)
  • Chris Conselice (now at the University of Nottingham)
  • Martha Holmes (Peace Corps, followed by graduate study at Vanderbilt))

    Publication list


    Grant funding:

    37. Dust Disks and the Evolution of S0 Galaxies, co-I, NASA-Chandra Guest Observer Program, $65633, 12/2007-current

    36. Can Active Galactic Nuclei Obscuration Resolve the X-ray Background Hardness Problem? (faculty advisor, NASA Graduate Research Fellowship for Branyon May), $84,000, 8/2006-current

    35. Star Formation History in the Richest Clusters of Galaxies, NASA GALEX Guest Investigator program, UA PI, $21,591, current

    34. Where have all the Lyman-alpha blobs gone?, NASA GALEX Guest Investigator program, PI, $34,600, current

    33. The Nucleus and Environment of a Spiral Galaxy with a Double Radio Source , NASA/SAO Chandra General Observer Project - AO3 , PI, $26,039, 2003-2006

    32. Galaxy and Cluster Building at z=2.4, NASA/SAO Chandra General Observer Project - AO2 , co-I, $45,251, current

    31. Gravitational Microlensing in the NGC 3314A-B Galaxy Pair, NASA/STScI, co-I, $18,513

    30. A Powerful Double Radio Source from a Spiral Galaxy, NASA/STScI, PI, $23,582, start 10/2002

    29. Three-Dimensional Structure of Dust in Galaxy Nuclei, NASA/STScI, PI, $44,000, 5/2002-4/2004

    28. Where does Lyman alpha Escape from Galaxy Disks?, NASA/STScI, PI, $35,269, HST-GO-8565.01-A, 9/1/2000-8/31/2004

    27. NSF large foreign telescopes for NOT obs., $775.33, 1/2000.

    26. Nearby Galaxies in the Far-UV: Toward Comparison with High-Redshift Galaxies, PI, $29,600, NASA FUSE program. 2/2000-1/2004

    25. Ongoing Mass Transfer in the Galaxy Pair NGC 1409/10, PI, $13,132, NASA/STScI, 8/1999-10/2003

    24. A far-ultraviolet imaging spectrograph, PI, $20,000, 1/99-6/99, NASA (through University of Arizona)

    23. Do massive star clusters form in young and weak galaxy interactions?, PI, $14,852, 3/99-2/2003, NASA (through Space Telescope Science Institute)

    22. The impact of cluster substructure on galaxies: a case study in Abell 2125, PI, $8,981, 4/99-3/2003, NASA (through Space Telescope Science Institute)

    21. Stellar populations in a cluster of galaxies at z=2.4, PI, $69,600, NASA-ISO support program, 8/98-8/2001

    20. The Age and Content of a (Proto)Galaxy Cluster at z=2.4, PI, $39,298, NASA (through Space Telescope Science Institute), 8/97-12/02

    19. Voyager Lyman-alpha and Continuum Observations of M33, PI, $3700, NASA-Astrophysics Data Program, 3/97-2/98

    18. WFPC2 Ly-alpha imaging of galaxy clusters at z=2.4: formation from compact sub-galactic clumps?, PI, $5784, 9/96-8/97, NASA (through Space Telescope Science Institute)

    17. Dust structure in backlit galaxies, PI, $50,305, 4/1997-3/2001, NASA (through Space Telescope Science Institute)

    16. Dust emission and absorption in overlapping galaxies, PI, $22,500, 8/15/96-8/14/98 (NASA ISO program) NAG 5-3336

    15. WFPC2 B-band and Ly-alpha imaging of a cluster of young galaxies at z=2.40, PI, $11,413, 8/95-9/96, NASA (through Space Telescope Science Institute)

    14. ISM-IGM Interactions and Spiral Disks, PI, $20,000, 6/94-12/96, NASA-ROSAT

    13. High-Resolution Imaging of a Collapsing Galaxy, co-I, $18,496, 5/94-8/96, NASA (through Space Telescope Science Institute)

    12. Systematic Studies of sub-kpc Light Profiles of Distant Radio Galaxies and their Surroundings", PI, $19,323, NASA (through Space Telescope Science Institute),6/93-5/95

    11. Obscuration and Age Effects in Starburst Galactic Nuclei, PI, $14,000, NASA (International Ultraviolet Explorer program) 12/92-12/94

    10. Evolution of the UV Spectra of Early-Type Galaxies out to z=0.7, co-PI, UA share $49,348, NASA (through Space Telescope Science Institute), 7/92-6/93

    9. WF/PC Studies of Very High Redshift Elliptical Radio Galaxies: The Morphological Evolution of Giant Ellipticals at 0.4

    8. Image Restoration in Optical Astronomy, W.C. Keel and J.W. Sulentic, $14,000, Cray Research Corp., 1/91-12/91

    7. Support for travel to USSR 6-meter telescope, $1246, NSF (Large Foreign Telescopes program), 2/91

    6. Comparison of Nearby and High-Redshift Radio Galaxies, P.I., $5000, NASA (IUE program) 10/90-9/91

    5. The Role of Optical-UV Obscuration in Starburst Galaxies, P.I., $25,133, NASA (Astrophysics Data Program) 6/90-6/91

    4. IAU Colloquium 124, Paired and Interacting Galaxies,$3,000, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, 12/89

    3. Comparison of Nearby and High-Redshift Radio Galaxies, P.I., $10,100, NASA, (IUE program) 10/89-9/90

    2. IAU Colloquium 124, Paired and Interacting Galaxies, to J.W. Sulentic and W.C. Keel, $7,000, NSF. Seed funds ($4,000) were provided by the IAU and matched by EPSCoR for this as well. A supplemental request to the NSF rupee fund was supported at the equivalent of $10,884. 12/89

    1. Cray Research Corp., "Simulating Quasar Activity in Interacting Galaxies", co-P.I.'s G.G. Byrd and W.C. Keel, $18,000. 1/89-12/89

    University committees and governance:

  • Faculty senate (steering committee and co-chair of committee on planning and operations) 2000-2002
  • University energy-management committee, 2000/2001
  • University research advisory committee, 2000-2002
  • Advisory committee, Rogers Science and Engineering Library, 1994/5 (chair)
  • UA Research Magazine committee, 1999, 2002
  • College of Arts and Sciences Academy of Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity, 2008-present

    Courses I've taught at UA:

  • Astronomy 101, Introduction to Astronomy
  • Astronomy 203, Observational Astronomy
  • Astronomy 433/533, Observational Techniques
  • Astronomy 620, Galaxies and the Universe
  • Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics 120, Aerospace Science for Educators

    Other educational activities

  • Forum speaker at Central Alabama Community College, Alexander City, October 1992. Also consulted on use of telescope and design of proposed observatory shelter.
  • Supervised five students to date in Computer-Based Honors Program Observing session for Dennis Sunal's teacher-training class, 1/13/93
  • Honors week addresses to Mallet Assembly, 1993 and 1994.
  • Remote-sensing and image-processing lectures for Dennis Sunal's science-teacher class, 1993 and 1994
  • Provided images to KOCE-TV (Huntington Beach, CA) for telecourses in astronomy
  • Supplied interviews and material for Integrated Science program, UA Center for Public Television, 1994, 1996.
  • Session on "participatory activities in astronomy" for NASA-MSFC summer faculty fellowship teacher's workshop, 1996
  • Guest classes, summer enrichment program at Verner School, 1997
  • Judging for West Alabama Regional Science Fair, 1999
  • Guest classes, summer enrichment progam at University Place School, 1999, 2000
  • Address to UA Phi Beta Kappa chapter at initiation, 2001
  • Science textbook review committee, Tuscaloosa City Schools, 2001/2
  • Public outreach talks at DragonCon, Atlanta - 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 (Live Astronomy session described here)
  • Public talks at Tennessee Star Party, September 2007, and Grand Canyon Star Party, June 2006
    Bill Keel's home page | UA Astronomy | Dept. of Physics and Astronomy | University of Alabama

    keel@bildad.astr.ua.edu 
    Last changes: March 2008