- Degrees
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Ph.D. Physics (2021) University of Kentucky
M.S. Physics (2018) University of Kentucky
B.S. Physics (2016) University of Kentucky
- Areas of Expertise and Research Interests
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Physics | Astronomy | Astrophysics | Applied Data Science | Galactic Archaeology | Galactic Dynamics | Physics Education | Environmental Physics
If you’re interested in collaborating on a project that helps to meet a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal, let me know! I am always looking to make a down-to-Earth, positive impact to balance my Astrophysics research.
- Licenses and Certifications
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Selected Conference Proceedings/Posters:
Haynes, Natalie, Seth Godby, Francisco Seva Sotomayor, & Austin Hinkel. “Light Pollution at the Local Scale: Assessing Sky Brightness and its Ecological and Human Impacts.” TMU Student Research Forum. (2026).
Bursk, Emmy, and Austin Hinkel. "Linking Dark and Stellar Substructure in the Illustris TNG-50 Simulation." volume 245 of American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts, 311.01, January (2025).
Roach, Josephine, and Austin Hinkel. "Visualizing disequilibrium: exploring the structure of the Milky Way at various length scales." American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts. Vol. 245. (2025).
Hinkel, Austin. "Designing an Open-Source, Skills-Based, Introductory Astronomy Course: Teaching Data Science and Python with Gaia Space Telescope Data." American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts. Vol. 243. (2024).
Hinkel, Austin, Susan Gardner, and Brian Yanny. "Applying Noether's Theorem to Matter in the Milky Way: Axi-symmetry Tests with Gaia Data Release 2 Reveal External Perturbations and Non-Steady-State Effects." Bulletin of the American Physical Society 65 (2020).
Hancock, Hart, Eryn Murphy, Ben Blackmore, and Austin Hinkel. "Center of Pressure Metrics During the Five-time Sit-to-Stand Are Associated With Falls History in Older Adults." American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting (2023).
- Publications
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Hinkel, Austin. "Planetary defense in the introductory astronomy classroom: Visualizing Kepler’s laws." The Physics Teacher 64.2 (2026): 152-153.
Yin, Ziyuan, and Austin Hinkel. "A Wave-corrected Assessment of the Local Midplane." The Astrophysical Journal 963.2 (2024): 136.
Hinkel, Austin, Susan Gardner, and Brian Yanny. "Two-point correlation function studies for the Milky Way: discovery of spatial clustering from disk excitations and substructure." The Astrophysical Journal 942.1 (2023): 41.
Hinkel, Austin, Susan Gardner, and Brian Yanny. "Probing axial symmetry breaking in the Galaxy with Gaia data release 2." The Astrophysical Journal 893.2 (2020): 105.
Hinkel, Austin, Susan Gardner, and Brian Yanny. "Axial Asymmetry Studies in Gaia Data Release 2 Yield the Pattern Speed of the Galactic Bar." The Astrophysical Journal Letters 899.1 (2020): L14.
Gardner, Susan, Austin Hinkel, and Brian Yanny. "Applying Noether’s theorem to matter in the Milky Way: evidence for external perturbations and non-steady-state effects from Gaia Data Release 2." The Astrophysical Journal 890.2 (2020): 110.
- Additional Information
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Hinkel was a visiting assistant professor of physics at Colorado College (2021-2023) before coming to Thomas More. He has volunteered time processing accelerometry data and developing machine learning models to help predict freezing of gait events in individuals with Parkinson's Disease.
He also oversees the Thomas More Observatory and its Astronomy Public Lecture Series, engaging the public with scientific topics spanning the structure of the universe to the systems shaping present day Earth.Email: (lastName)(firstInitial)[at](thomasmore.edu)
Personal Website: https://ahinkel.github.io/
- Employee Roles
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Departments Positions Titles Mathematics & Physics Faculty Assistant Professor & Director of Thomas More Observatory Thomas More Observatory Director Director