The Group

The Finkelstein research group

Postdoctoral fellows and graduate students working on the early universe, plus ~15 undergraduates on sustained research projects through our Galaxy Evolution Vertically Integrated Project.

Postdoctoral Researchers
Anthony Taylor

Dr. Anthony Taylor

Postdoctoral Fellow

JWST spectroscopy, with a focus on signatures of accreting supermassive black holes. Leads the VIP undergraduate research group.

Website →
Vasily Kokorev

Dr. Vasily Kokorev

NASA Hubble Fellow & CFC Prize Fellow

Many aspects of the early universe, from "little red dots" to some of the highest-redshift galaxies yet found.

Website →
Tiger Hsiao

Dr. Tiger Hsiao

CFC Prize Fellow

Joined the Cosmic Frontier Center in fall 2025, studying the earliest galaxies with JWST.

Katherine Chworowsky

Dr. Katherine Chworowsky

Postdoctoral Fellow

Massive galaxies at high redshift. Showed that the abundance of massive galaxies in CEERS is consistent with ΛCDM given an evolving star-formation efficiency.

Earned her PhD in the group — also a group alumna.
Profile →
Pierluigi Rinaldi

Dr. Pierluigi Rinaldi

CFC Prize Fellow

Early-universe galaxy evolution with JWST as part of the Cosmic Frontier Center.

Taylor Hutchison

Dr. Taylor Hutchison

CFC Research Associate

JWST studies of early star-forming galaxies within the Cosmic Frontier Center.

Graduate Students
Natalia Villanueva

Natalia Villanueva

Graduate Student

How galaxy structure shapes evolution, using machine-learning routines to study the spatially-resolved properties of early galaxies.

Website →
Ansh Gupta

Ansh Gupta

Graduate Student · NSF GRFP

Supermassive black holes in the early universe — how such objects form and co-evolve with their host galaxies.

Website →
Alumni

Where they are now

Postdoctoral Researchers

  • Seiji Fujimoto (2022–2025) → Faculty, University of Toronto  (website)
  • Mic Bagley (2018–2024) → JWST Deputy Project Scientist, NASA GSFC  (website)
  • Gene Leung (2020–2024) → Postdoctoral position, MIT  (website)
  • Isak Wold (2014–2018) → NPP Fellow, NASA GSFC  (profile)
  • Rachael Livermore (2013–2017) → DECRA Fellowship, Melbourne  (website)

Graduate Students

  • Hollis Akins (PhD 2026) → NASA Hubble Fellow, Princeton University  (website)
  • Katherine Chworowsky (PhD 2026) → now a CFC Postdoctoral Fellow in the group (above)
  • Alexa Morales (PhD 2026) → Postdoctoral Researcher, STScI  (LinkedIn)
  • Oscar Chavez Ortiz (PhD 2026) → Research Assessment Analyst, San Diego State University  (LinkedIn)
  • Rebecca Larson (PhD 2023) → Giacconi Fellow, STScI  (website)
  • Intae Jung (PhD 2019) → Faculty, Chungbuk National University  (website)
  • Matthew Stevans (PhD 2019) → Private sector  (website)
  • Jason Jaacks (PhD 2018) → Private sector  (LinkedIn)
  • Mimi Song (PhD 2016) → NPP Fellow, NASA GSFC

Undergraduate Students