Miguel Mostafá, dean of Temple University’s College of Science and Technology, and his research group have been awarded a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support their pioneering work in high-energy astrophysics. The project, titled “Multi-TeV, Multi-Messenger, and Multi-Wavelength Particle Astrophysics with HAWC,” will push the frontiers of our understanding of the most energetic processes in the universe.
The award comes at a particularly meaningful time, as federal funding for fundamental science continues to face intense competition. “We are deeply grateful for this support from the NSF,” said Mostafá. “In today’s environment, where funding is increasingly difficult to secure, this award is both a recognition of the strength of our program and an investment in the future of discovery.”
The research will leverage the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory (HAWC) in Mexico, a world-leading facility designed to detect cosmic rays and gamma rays at the highest energies. By combining observations across multiple channels—cosmic messengers such as neutrinos, photons and gravitational waves—Mostafá’s team aims to answer fundamental questions about how nature accelerates particles to energies far beyond those achievable on Earth.
Beyond its scientific impact, the project has significant educational and societal benefits. The grant will provide training opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students, expanding pathways for students into the fields of physics, data science and astronomy. The group will also engage in outreach efforts to broaden participation in science, inspiring the next generation of researchers.
“This award underscores the role Temple plays in cutting-edge astrophysics,” said Mostafá. “We are excited to continue building collaborations worldwide and to contribute to a deeper understanding of the universe.”
The $1 million NSF investment will support the group’s work over three years, strengthening Temple’s position as a hub for multi-messenger astrophysics and ensuring that its students remain at the forefront of discovery.
The Mostafá research group at Temple includes graduate students Surya Shankar Rajendra Kumar, Renée Kirk, Yubraj Niroula, and Seonghyeon Yu; postdoc Pauline Chambéry; faculty members Priyadarshini Bangale, research assistant professor, and Hugo Alberto Ayala Solares, research associate professor; and undergraduate students Aditiya Dhar and Sarah Hawley.