Mohamad Abbas
Research Associate; Public Outreach
Affiliation: NYU Abu Dhabi
Education: PhD Max Planck Research School for Astronomy, University of Heidelberg; MS Bowling Green State University; BS American University of Beirut
Research Areas: Galaxy Evolution; Milky Way; RR Lyrae Stars; Globular Clusters; Variable Stars; Galactic Cannibalism
Mohamad (Moe) Abbas is a Research Associate and astronomy outreach contributor at the Center for Astrophysics and Space Science (CASS) at NYU Abu Dhabi. His research focuses on uncovering the formation history of the Milky Way by studying ancient halo variable stars such as RR Lyrae, using data from surveys like Gaia, SDSS, and Pan-STARRS to trace stellar streams and infer the Galaxy’s merger history and dark-matter distribution. He also studies variable stars in globular clusters through time-series observations and color–magnitude diagrams, contributing to models of stellar evolution and structure.
At CASS, Abbas is actively involved in organizing and delivering the center’s outreach programs. He works closely with the center’s administrators, faculty, researchers, students, and partner institutions to advance astronomy education and public engagement. His efforts aim to inspire curiosity about the universe and make science more accessible to the wider community.
Before joining NYUAD, he taught astronomy and physics at several Lebanese universities and helped develop new academic programs and observatory facilities. He was also selected for the Astronauts Dubai TV series, evaluated by Astronaut Chris Hadfield and MBRSC officials.
Abbas earned his BS in Physics from the American University of Beirut, MS in Astrophysics from Bowling Green State University (USA), and PhD in Astronomy from Heidelberg University / Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (Germany). He is a member of the AAS, IAU, and IPS, and has received multiple recognition awards.