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Loren Anderson
Professor

WISE Catalog of Galactic HII Regions

About Me

I am an observational astronomer and study the impact that massive stars have on our Milky Way Galaxy. I defended my PhD in 2009 under the supervision of Dr. Thomas Bania. From 2009 to 2011 I worked with Drs. Annie Zavagno and Lise Deharveng on Herschel satellite data. I became an assistant professor at WVU in 2011. Download my CV (PDF).

I have two amazing daughters and one incorrigible dog, Saturn. In my free time I like to hike, run, ski, play soccer, make beer, play piano, and fix up my 1911 bungalow.

Research

My research concerns Galactic HII regions the plasma spheres surrounding massive stars, and what they can teach us about the structure of our Galaxy. I led the GBT Diffuse Ionized Gas Survey, the WISE Catalog of Galactic HII Regions, and the HII Region Discovery Survey.  Please see my full paper list as an  ADS Public Library.

I also lead the astronomy REU program, which brings ~8 undergraduate researchers to our department every summer, and the Mapping the Milky Way outreach project, where West Virginian high school students discover new Galactic HII regions with the Green Bank Telescope.

Teaching

Current Course:
ASTR702, Stellar Structure

Spring 2023 Course:
ASTR368, Astrophysics II

Fall 2023 Course:
ASTR367, Astrophysics I

Spring 2023 Courses:
ASTR469, Observational Astronomy ASTR705, The Interstellar Medium
Previous courses:

ASTR106, Descriptive Astronomy, Fall 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, & 2015

ASTR367, Astrophysics I, Fall 2019

ASTR368, Astrophysics II, Spring 2014, 2016, 2020, & 2022

ASTR469, Observational Astronomy, Spring 2013, 2015, 2017, 2021, & 2023

ASTR693A, Astrophysics Graduate Seminar, Fall/Spring 2017-present

ASTR701, Computational Astrophysics, Fall 2021

ASTR705, The Interstellar Medium, Fall 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, & Spring 2023

PHYS101, Introductory Physics, Fall 2017