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), the NOAO Deep Wide-field Survey (NDWFS) and surveys with the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder..
I am best known for my measurements of galaxy growth over cosmic time, how galaxies populate dark matter halos and the spectral enegy distributions of galaxies and active galactic nucleii. One of the most significant outcomes of my research is finding 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
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
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Australian membership of the European 4MOST Consortium
Driver, S. P. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Robotham, A. S. G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Couch, W. J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Hopkins, A. M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Asplund, M. B. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Colless, M. M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Croom, S. M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Blake, C. A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Glazebrook, K. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Parkinson, D. R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Seymour, N. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Zucker, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), trenti, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Martell, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Brown, M. (Chief Investigator (CI))
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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Explosive Astrophysics from Siding Spring Observatory
Lidman, C. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Colless, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Brough, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Wolf, C. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Travouillon, T. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Seitenzahl, I. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Möller, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Brown, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Kamath, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Einecke, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Heger, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Ruiter, A. J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Galloway, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Wen, L. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & O'Toole, S. (Chief Investigator (CI))
1/05/23 → 1/05/24
Project: Other
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Doubling the power of a unique astronomical survey facility
Colless, M. M. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), da Cunha, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Mackey, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Croom, S. M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Blake, C. A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Taylor, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Drinkwater, M. J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Davis, T. M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Brough, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Wright, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Driver, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Brown, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Norris, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Hopkins, A. (Partner Investigator (PI))
16/05/18 → 14/07/21
Project: Other
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Victorian International Research Scholarship
Gracia, G. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Parkash, V. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Trevaskis, N. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Brown, M. (Chief Investigator (CI))
18/03/15 → 17/03/18
Project: Research
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The Australian European Southern Observatory Positioner (AESOP)
Brown, M. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI))
ARC - Australian Research Council
1/01/15 → 31/12/15
Project: Research
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A search for missing radio sources at z ≳ 4 using Lyman dropouts
Shobhana, D., Norris, R. P., Filipović, M. D., Barnes, L. A., Hopkins, A. M., Prandoni, I., Brown, M. J. I. & Shabala, S. S., Mar 2023, In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 519, 4, p. 4902-4919 18 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access4 Citations (Scopus) -
Clustering of red sequence galaxies in the fourth data release of the Kilo-Degree Survey
Vakili, M., Hoekstra, H., Bilicki, M., Fortuna, M. C., Kuijken, K., Wright, A. H., Asgari, M., Brown, M., Dombrovskij, E., Erben, T., Giblin, B., Heymans, C., Hildebrandt, H., Johnston, H., Joudaki, S. & Kannawadi, A., Jul 2023, In: Astronomy & Astrophysics. 675, 21 p., A202.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access10 Citations (Scopus) -
Deep investigation of neutral gas origins (DINGO): H i stacking experiments with early science data
Rhee, J., Meyer, M., Popping, A., Bellstedt, S., Driver, S. P., Robotham, A. S. G., Whiting, M., Baldry, I. K., Brough, S., Brown, M. J. I., Bunton, J. D., Dodson, R., Holwerda, B. W., Hopkins, A. M., Koribalski, B. S., Lee-Waddell, K., López-Sánchez, Á. R., Loveday, J., Mahony, E. & Roychowdhury, S. & 2 others, , Jan 2023, In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 518, 3, p. 4646-4671 26 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access25 Citations (Scopus) -
GOALS-JWST: Pulling Back the Curtain on the AGN and Star Formation in VV 114
Rich, J., Aalto, S., Evans, A. S., Charmandaris, V., Privon, G. C., Lai, T., Inami, H., Linden, S., Armus, L., Diaz-Santos, T., Appleton, P., Barcos-Muñoz, L., Böker, T., Larson, K. L., Law, D. R., Malkan, M. A., Medling, A. M., Song, Y., Vivian, U. & van der Werf, P. & 16 others, , 20 Feb 2023, In: The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 944, 2, 10 p., L50.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access23 Citations (Scopus) -
GOALS-JWST: Mid-infrared Spectroscopy of the Nucleus of NGC 7469
Armus, L., Lai, T., Vivian, U., Larson, K. L., Diaz-Santos, T., Evans, A. S., Malkan, M. A., Rich, J., Medling, A. M., Law, D. R., Inami, H., Muller-Sanchez, F., Charmandaris, V., van der Werf, P. V. D., Stierwalt, S., Linden, S., Privon, G. C., Barcos-Muñoz, L., Hayward, C. & Song, Y. & 15 others, , 10 Jan 2023, In: The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 942, 2, 9 p., L37.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access41 Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
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Vice-Chancellor's Diversity and Inclusion Award
Carroll, J. (Recipient), Brown, M. (Recipient), Edgington-Mitchell, D. (Recipient), Garcia De La Banda, M. (Recipient), Gurvich, C. (Recipient), Ho, S. (Recipient), Joschko, L. (Recipient), Maher, J. (Recipient), McDonald, M. (Recipient), McGlinn, E. (Recipient), McGuigan, N. (Recipient), Morgan, M. (Recipient), Murray-Zaia, J. (Recipient) & Strengers, Y. (Recipient), 10 Dec 2020
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
- 6 Professional association or peak discipline body
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AAT Council
Brown, M. (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
Brown, M. (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)
Brown, M. (Fellow)
2016 → …Activity: External Academic Engagement › Professional association or peak discipline body
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Astronomical Society of Australia Council
Brown, M. (Fellow)
2014 → …Activity: External Academic Engagement › Professional association or peak discipline body
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Fellow of the Astronomical Society of Australia
Brown, M. (Fellow)
2012 → …Activity: External Academic Engagement › Professional association or peak discipline body
Press/Media
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Why is it so hard to take a good photo of the Moon with my Phone?
11/11/25
1 item of Media coverage, 1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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Reflect Orbital Space Mirrors
10/10/25 → 9/11/25
4 items of Media coverage, 1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Researchers scour farmland near Ballarat for meteorite after sky sightings
19/08/25
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Meteor over central Victoria
11/08/25
3 items of Media coverage, 1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment