Jesus Rivera

Jesus (Jesse) Rivera is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Swarthmore College and entering a new role as the Observatory Manager as of Fall 2023. He has served as the faculty advisor for the Swarthmore SPS Chapter since 2021 and has also served in the Physics and Astronomy Department’s DEI committee. Jesse worked with students to help revitalize the college’s SPS Chapter with new activities such as astrophotography and rocketry. The chapter is particularly proud of its astrophotography efforts which has grown from rooftop imaging to organizing camping trips to official dark sky areas with multiple college clubs to image and observe the night sky. The chapter has presented some of its astrophotography work at PhysCon and received the honor of being on the cover of the SPS Observer Winter 2023 issue. Furthermore, through mentoring initiatives and outreach via physics demonstrations and public observatory nights, the chapter is committed to building stronger connections within the department, college, and local community.

On the research side, Jesse is a radio astronomer and received his B.S. from the University of Texas at Brownsville (now University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley) and his Ph.D. from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. His research focus is the study of gravitationally lensed, dusty star-forming galaxies to better understand galaxy formation and evolution, and actively serves as the research advisor for a number of undergraduate students who often present their research at conferences. Throughout his professional career he has also shown a commitment to foster and build an inclusive community through outreach activities, science policy, and DEI initiatives.