Rate My Professor Scott Severson

Dr. Scott Severson is a Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Sonoma State University, having joined as Assistant Professor in 2007 and promoted to Associate Professor in 2011. His academic journey began with a B.S. in Astronomy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1990, followed by an S.M. in Astronomy and Astrophysics in 1992 and a Ph.D. in the same field from the University of Chicago in 2000. Earlier, he served as Graduate Student Researcher and Teaching Assistant at the University of Chicago from 1990 to 1998, Postdoctoral Researcher at UCO/Lick Observatory from 1998 to 2002, and Associate Research Astronomer there until 2007.

Severson's research focuses on developing next-generation astronomical adaptive optics systems, enhancing Sonoma State University's observational capabilities, and advancing astronomical instrumentation, particularly in near-infrared adaptive optics, high spatial-resolution imaging of galaxy centers and planetary science, and time domain astronomy. He has led significant projects such as the KAPAO adaptive optics system at Table Mountain Observatory, funded by a $637,138 NSF MRI grant (Co-PI, SSU portion $118,345, 2010-2013), and established an adaptive optics lab with an $85,000 Mt. Cuba Foundation grant. Other grants include Co-PI on the $899,842 NSF Robert Noyce Scholarship Program and $29,889 PhysTEC grant. His key publications encompass “KAPAO first light: the design, construction and operation of a low-cost natural guide star adaptive optics system” (Proc. SPIE 9148, 2014), “KAPAO: a MEMS-based natural guide star adaptive optics system” (Proc. SPIE 8617, 2013), “Villages: an on-sky visible wavelength astronomy AO experiment using a MEMS deformable mirror” (Proc. SPIE 6888, 2008), and “The extreme adaptive optics testbed at UCSC: current results and coronographic upgrade” (Proc. SPIE 6272, 2006). Severson received Sonoma State University's Excellence in Teaching Award for 2020-2021, having been nominated in prior years. He directs the SSU Campus Observatory since 2008, organizing Public Viewing Nights and the “What Physicists Do” lecture series (~11 talks per semester), and has mentored students for a combined 67 student-semesters with an average Student Evaluation of Teaching Effectiveness score of 4.72 out of 5. He has served on the University Structure and Functions Committee and Campus Planning Committee.