As the oldest of the natural sciences, astronomy and astrophysics is deeply intertwined with the evolution of human thinking, the development of new technologies as well as the understanding of natural phenomena. From the use of celestial bodies and stars for finding directions, to the understanding of the model of the Solar system, to the beginning of the space era and study of the nature of the Universe in the 20th century, astronomy and astrophysics has had a deep influence on human society. Currently, the field of Astronomy and Astrophysics is one of the most rapidly growing domains of study. This growth is made possible through the complimentary approaches of observation, computation/simulation and theory. Observational data are gathered through high performance telescopes in all domains of the electromagnetic spectrum as well as gravitational waves, neutrinos and charged particles. High performance computational systems allow the simulations of complex systems such as the collision of galaxies and the analysis of large amounts of data. All of this results in the refinement and development of better theoretical models of various objects and phenomena, ranging from the solar system, to stars and plasmas in the Milky Way, to the study of complex objects such as neutron stars, supernova explosions, galaxies and their supermassive black holes, and large scale structures in the Universe. IST’s Astronomy and Astrophysics PhD program aims to train future researchers through quality education in astronomy and astrophysics. The courses are geared towards fostering the investigative capacity, creative thinking and intellectual curiosity of students. While the research projects hone out the multiple skills required by students in order to finish a successful PhD dissertation and carry out their own research endeavours in the future.
Currently research is carried out in several domains of astronomy and astrophysics. The Astronomy and Astrophysics group at IST has highly qualified faculty with significant international collaborations and access to well-equipped facilities, abroad as well as in Pakistan.
PEO 1: Establish active research groups of international standards in different areas of Astronomy & Astrophysics. PEO 2: Establish international collaborations in this field with high impact research. PEO 3: Develop, strengthen and excel in indigenous research. PEO 4: Meet the needs of academia and industry in Pakistan.
PLO-1: Attain thorough and deep scientific knowledge in the field of Astronomy & Astrophysics. PLO-2: Be able to use analytical, numerical and observational techniques in academia and research organizations. PLO-3: Be able to do research in the field of Astronomy & Astrophysics.