Alejandro Núñez is a research scientist in the Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory. His research focuses on the relation between stellar rotation and magnetic activity in young, low-mass stars across open clusters of different ages. By combining chromospheric (H-alpha), coronal (X-ray), and ultraviolet diagnostics with stellar rotation measurements, he investigates how magnetic activity evolves as stars spin down over time. Before his doctoral studies, Alejandro transitioned from a career in finance to pursue his long-standing passion for astronomy. As an undergraduate at CUNY Hunter College, he studied brown dwarfs to disentangle the effects of age, mass, and metallicity on their spectra. He earned his Ph.D. in Astronomy from Columbia University, where he also briefly worked on cosmological simulations before turning his attention to stellar magnetism and rotation.
A list of his publications is available at this ADS page.
Research Topics
Magnetic activity in main-sequence stars and ultra cool dwarfs. Stellar atmospheres. The ages of stars.
Advisor
Marcel Agüeros