02/25/2026
By Lynne Schaufenbil

Please join the Lowell Center for Space Science and Technology on Thursday, March 5 at 11 a.m. for a talk by Shany Danieli on The Path to Understanding Dark Matter: Novel Observations of Low-Mass Galaxies

Being some of the most dark matter-dominated systems discovered to date, low-mass galaxies offer crucial tests for our cosmological model and fill in the gaps in our understanding of the universe at smaller scales. With recent advancements in telescope instrumentation and image analysis techniques, we are now able to gain new insights into the diversity and complexities of these important objects. In this talk, I will present results from novel observations of low-mass galaxies beyond our local galactic neighborhood. These observations shed light on their number densities, structures, and internal dynamics, and offer intriguing clues to the nature of dark matter and the theory of galaxy formation on small scales. I will discuss ongoing and future astronomical surveys and follow-up observations that are essential for: (1) systematically mapping the census and properties of low-mass galaxies, both near and far; (2) directly measuring the distribution of dark matter in these galaxies through their stellar and gas kinematics; (3) untangling the interplay of baryons and dark matter. The collective power of these observational pursuits, as well as theoretical advancements, could lead to a breakthrough in our understanding of dark matter physics.

Bio: Shany Danieli is an observational astrophysicist specializing in low-mass and low-surface-brightness galaxies and their role in dark matter and galaxy formation on small scales. She is a Senior Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in the School of Physics & Astronomy at Tel Aviv University, where she leads research into the faintest galactic populations to probe the interplay between visible matter and dark matter across cosmic environments.

Danieli received her B.Sc. in Physics & Astronomy from Tel Aviv University before completing her M.Sc., M.Phil., and Ph.D. in Physics at Yale University, where she worked with Prof. Pieter van Dokkum. After earning her Ph.D., she was awarded a NASA Hubble Fellowship and a Carnegie-Princeton Fellowship, holding positions at the Institute for Advanced Study and Princeton University before returning to Israel to join the faculty at Tel Aviv University.

If you are interested in attending, please contact Lynne_Schaufenbil@uml.edu