Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
I am an observational astronomer whose research interests include the evolution of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and the growth of galaxies over cosmic time. This research is undertaken in collaboration with Monash University PhD students, postdoctoral fellows and colleagues from around the world. We undertake this research using large surveys of the Universe including Galaxy and Mass Assembly survey (GAMA), theNOAO Deep Wide-field Survey (NDWFS), the Spitzer Deep Wide-Field Survey (SDWFS), the AGN and Galaxy Evolution Survey (AGES) and planned surveys with the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder and TAIPAN.
In 2014, I published an atlas of 129 galaxy spectral energy distributions, which will be used to improve measurements of galaxy distances, colours and luminosities. I am best known for my measurements of galaxy growth over cosmic time and how galaxies populate dark matter halos. A key result of these studies is that the most massive galaxies grow relatively slowly and that the relationship between stellar mass and dark matter mass evolves very little over billions of years.
My students and postdoctoral fellows are currently measuring how galaxies grow over cosmic time, how the formation of stars within galaxies depends on environment, when AGNs are found within particular galaxy populations and the dependence of star formation on dark matter halo properties. If you are interested in PhD studies in astrophysics at Monash University or postdoctoral fellowship opportunities, do not hesitate to contact me.
Research area keywords
- Galaxies
- Active Galactic Nuclei
- Astronomical Surveys
- Cosmology
- Large-Scale Structure
Network
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Explosive Astrophysics from Siding Spring Observatory
Lidman, C., Colless, M., Brough, S., Wolf, C., Travouillon, T., Seitenzahl, I., Möller, A., Brown, M., Kamath, D., Einecke, S., Heger, A., Ruiter, A. J., Galloway, D., Wen, L. & O'Toole, S.
1/05/23 → 1/05/24
Project: Other
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Australian membership of the European 4MOST Consortium
Driver, S. P., Robotham, A. S. G., Couch, W. J., Hopkins, A. M., Asplund, M. B., Colless, M. M., Croom, S. M., Blake, C. A., Glazebrook, K., Parkinson, D. R., Seymour, N., Zucker, D. B., trenti, M., Martell, S. L. & Brown, M.
University of Western Australia, Australian National University (ANU), University of Sydney, Swinburne University of Technology, University of Queensland , Curtin University, Macquarie University, University of Melbourne, Monash University, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australian Astronomical Observatory
Project: Other
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Doubling the power of a unique astronomical survey facility
Colless, M. M., da Cunha, E., Mackey, D., Croom, S. M., Blake, C. A., Taylor, E., Drinkwater, M. J., Davis, T. M., Brough, S., Wright, D., Driver, S., Brown, M., Norris, R. & Hopkins, A.
16/05/18 → 14/07/21
Project: Other
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Victorian International Research Scholarship
Gracia, G., Parkash, V., Trevaskis, N. & Brown, M.
18/03/15 → 17/03/18
Project: Research
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The Australian European Southern Observatory Positioner (AESOP)
Australian Research Council (ARC)
1/01/15 → 31/12/15
Project: Research
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Deep ASKAP EMU Survey of the GAMA23 field: Properties of radio sources
Gürkan, G., Prandoni, I., O'Brien, A., Raja, W., Marchetti, L., Vaccari, M., Driver, S., Taylor, E., Franzen, T., Brown, M. J. I., Shabala, S., Andernach, H., Hopkins, A. M., Norris, R. P., Leahy, D., Bilicki, M., Farajollahi, H., Galvin, T., Heald, G., Koribalski, B. S., & 2 others , Jun 2022, In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 512, 4, p. 6104-6121 18 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access7 Citations (Scopus) -
Deep Extragalactic VIsible Legacy Survey (DEVILS): Identification of AGN through SED fitting and the evolution of the bolometric AGN luminosity function
Thorne, J. E., Robotham, A. S. G., Davies, L. J. M., Bellstedt, S., Brown, M. J. I., Croom, S. M., Delvecchio, I., Groves, B., Jarvis, M. J., Shabala, S. S., Seymour, N., Whittam, I. H., Bravo, M., Cook, R. H. W., Driver, S. P., Holwerda, B., Phillipps, S. & Siudek, M., Feb 2022, In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 509, 4, p. 4940-4961 22 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access11 Citations (Scopus) -
Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA): Z 0 galaxy luminosity function down to L 106L via clustering based redshift inference
Karademir, G. S., Taylor, E. N., Blake, C., Baldry, I. K., Bellstedt, S., Bilicki, M., Brown, M. J. I., Cluver, M. E., Driver, S. P., Hildebrandt, H., Holwerda, B. W., Hopkins, A. M., Loveday, J., Phillipps, S. & Wright, A. H., Feb 2022, In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 509, 4, p. 5467-5484 18 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
3 Citations (Scopus) -
GOALS-JWST: Hidden Star Formation and Extended PAH Emission in the Luminous Infrared Galaxy VV 114
Evans, A. S., Frayer, D. T., Charmandaris, V., Armus, L., Inami, H., Surace, J., Linden, S., Soifer, B. T., Diaz-Santos, T., Larson, K. L., Rich, J. A., Song, Y., Barcos-Munoz, L., Mazzarella, J. M., Privon, G. C., Vivian, U., Medling, A. M., Böker, T., Aalto, S., Iwasawa, K., & 15 others , 1 Nov 2022, In: The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 940, 1, 7 p., L8.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access3 Citations (Scopus) -
GOALS-JWST: Resolving the Circumnuclear Gas Dynamics in NGC 7469 in the Mid-infrared
Vivian, U., Lai, T., Bianchin, M., Remigio, R. P., Armus, L., Larson, K. L., Díaz-Santos, T., Evans, A., Stierwalt, S., Law, D. R., Malkan, M. A., Linden, S., Song, Y., van der Werf, P. P., Gao, T., Privon, G. C., Medling, A. M., Barcos-Muñoz, L., Hayward, C. C., Inami, H., & 18 others , 20 Nov 2022, In: The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 940, 1, 11 p., L5.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access4 Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
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Vice-Chancellor's Diversity and Inclusion Award
Carroll, John (Recipient), Brown, Michael (Recipient), Edgington-Mitchell, Daniel (Recipient), Garcia De La Banda, Maria (Recipient), Gurvich, Caroline (Recipient), Ho, Susie (Recipient), Joschko, L. (Recipient), Maher, JaneMaree (Recipient), McDonald, Mike (Recipient), McGlinn, Edwina (Recipient), McGuigan, Nicholas (Recipient), Morgan, Michael (Recipient), Murray-Zaia, J. (Recipient) & Strengers, Yolande (Recipient), 10 Dec 2020
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
- 6 Professional association or peak discipline body
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AAT Council
Michael Brown (Fellow)
2018 → …Activity: External Academic Engagement › Professional association or peak discipline body
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J1 – Inter-Division D-G-H-J Commission Galaxy Spectral Energy Distributions
Michael Brown (Fellow)
2018 → …Activity: External Academic Engagement › Professional association or peak discipline body
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Inter-Division D-G-H-J Commission WG Reference Library of Galaxy Spectral Energy Distributions (RELIGAS)
Michael Brown (Fellow)
2016 → …Activity: External Academic Engagement › Professional association or peak discipline body
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Astronomical Society of Australia Council
Michael Brown (Fellow)
2014 → …Activity: External Academic Engagement › Professional association or peak discipline body
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Fellow of the Astronomical Society of Australia
Michael Brown (Fellow)
2012 → …Activity: External Academic Engagement › Professional association or peak discipline body
Press/Media
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Snowball’s chance in hell the sun is causing climate change
18/01/23
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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The sky isn’t just blue – airglow makes it green, yellow and red too
Michael Brown & Matthew Kenworthy
30/12/22
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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What to expect of the space economy in 2023
29/12/22
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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How the James Webb Space Telescope has revealed a surprisingly bright, complex and element-filled early universe
16/12/22
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Blogs, Podcasts and Social Media › Podcasts