Yung, L. Y. Aaron

 

 

L. Y. Aaron Yung  Assistant Professor

Ph.D., Rutgers University, U.S.A. (2020)

Office: P511, General Building III

Office: +886-3-571-5131 ext. 31272 

Fax: +886-3-574-2499

Email: yung@phys.nthu.edu.tw

Website: https://lyaaronyung.github.io

 

Honors and Experience

  • Assistant Professor & MoE Yushan Fellow, NTHU (2026-present)
  • Giacconi Fellow, Space Telescope Science Institute, USA (2023-2026)
  • NASA Postdoctoral Fellow, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, USA (2020-2023)

Education

  • 2014 - 2020, Ph.D. in Astrophysics, Rutgers University, USA
  • 2010 - 2014, B.S. in Physics & Mathematics, University of San Francisco, USA

Research Interests

  • Galaxy-black hole co-evolution
  • High- and ultra-high-redshift galaxies
  • Computational and theoretical astrophysics 
  • Semi-analytic modelling
  • Cosmological simulations
  • Large-scale structure of the Universe
  • Cosmic reionization

Research Works

Our group's research is driven by fundamental questions such as "How did the first galaxies in the Universe form?" and "What physical processes have shaped galaxies into what we observe today?" We tackle these grand challenges using a combination of cosmological simulations, semi-analytic models, and synthetic observations that connect the assembly of dark matter halos to the formation and evolution of galaxies, stars, and supermassive black holes across cosmic time. Our work spans a wide range of scales and epochs, from the first galaxies emerging during the cosmic dawn and the epoch of reionization to the large-scale structure of the present-day Universe. We are particularly interested in galaxy-black hole co-evolution, high- and ultra-high-redshift galaxies, cosmic reionization, and the interplay between baryonic physics and cosmology.

A central goal of our group is to bridge the gap between theoretical and observational astrophysics. We develop simulated data products, mock galaxy catalogues, synthetic spectra, images, and cosmological lightcones that enable direct comparisons between theoretical predictions and observations. These tools support the interpretation of data from current and future flagship observatories and surveys, including the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, Euclid, ALMA, Subaru, and the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT). By combining physically motivated models with state-of-the-art computational techniques, our research helps maximize the scientific return of these facilities while advancing our understanding of galaxy formation and the evolution of the Universe.

Selected Publications

Yung, L. Y. A., Somerville R. S., Iyer K. G., 2025, ΛCDM is still not broken: empirical constraints on the star formation efficiency at z∼12−30, MNRAS 543, 3802

Yung, L. Y. A., Somerville R. S., Nguyen T., Behroozi P., Modi C., Gardner J. P., 2024, Characterising ultra-high-redshift dark matter halo demographics and assembly histories with the GUREFT simulations, MNRAS 530, 4868

Yung, L. Y. A., Somerville R. S., Finkelstein S. L., Wilkins S. M., Gardner J. P., 2024, Are the ultra-high-redshift galaxies at z > 10 surprising in the context of standard galaxy formation models?, MNRAS 527, 5929

Yung, L. Y. A., Somerville R. S., Finkelstein S. L., Behroozi P., Davé R., Ferguson H. C., Gardner J. P., Popping G. et al., 2023, Semi-analytic forecasts for Roman – the beginning of a new era of deep-wide galaxy surveys, MNRAS 519, 1578

Yung, L. Y. A., Somerville R. S., Ferguson H. C., Finkelstein S. L., Gardner J. P., Davé R., Bagley M., Popping G., Behroozi P., 2022, Semi-analytic forecasts for JWST – VI. Simulated lightcones and galaxy clustering predictions, MNRAS 515, 5416

Yung, L. Y. A., SomervilleR.S., FinkelsteinS.L., PoppingG., DavéR., VenkatesanA., Behroozi P., Ferguson H. C., 2020b, Semi-analytic forecasts for JWST – IV. Implications for cosmic reionization and LyC escape fraction, MNRAS 496, 4574

Yung, L. Y. A., Somerville R. S., Finkelstein S. L., Popping G., Davé R., 2019a, Semi-analytic forecastsfor JWST – I. UVluminosity functionsat z= 4−10,MNRAS483,2983

ORCID: 0000-0003-3466-035X

NASA ADS

Google Scholar