New Leadership at the Georgia Tech Observatory

The College of Sciences has named Paul Sell as the new director of the Georgia Tech Observatory. Sell joined the Institute in Fall 2025 as a senior academic professional in the School of Physics. He also serves as advisor of the new B.S. in Astrophysics degree program.

“Paul Sell is a wonderful addition to our College of Sciences community,” says Susan Lozier, dean of the College of Sciences, Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Chair, and professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. “His leadership brings renewed energy to the Georgia Tech Observatory, and I look forward to seeing how he expands its impact across campus and in the broader community.”

Observing the cosmos from campus

The Georgia Tech Observatory was established nearly two decades ago at a time when the Institute’s astronomy and astrophysics research and teaching ecosystem was in its infancy. 

School of Physics Principal Academic Professional Emeritus Jim Sowell created the facility on the roof of the Howey Physics Building in 2007 and served as its director until his retirement in 2024. 

“The Observatory — and its numerous variety of telescopes — makes it possible for Georgia Tech students and Atlanta-area visitors to see with their own eyes some of the best, awe-inspiring celestial delights, including craters on the Moon, Jupiter’s Red Spot, Saturn’s rings, and many other objects,” says Sowell.

The Observatory’s primary instrument is a 20-inch diameter telescope by Officina Stellare. Known as the Georgia Tech’s Space Object Research Telescope (GT-SORT), this Raven-class space surveillance telescope is used by researchers in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering to monitor man-made spacecraft.

“What’s unique about the Georgia Tech Observatory is that it’s right on campus, offering a meaningful, hands-on experience to everyone,” explains Sell. “It can be readily integrated into experiential learning projects on campus all year round.”

Sell’s upper-level astronomy lab, which combines lectures with experiences at the Observatory, highlights the facility’s academic importance.

Yet, the Observatory’s impact extends beyond the classroom, thanks to free community events like “Public Nights at the Observatory,” which offer attendees the opportunity to explore the night sky. 

Held most months, weather permitting, this event features telescopes stationed outside the Howey Physics Building, allowing astronomy enthusiasts from Georgia Tech and beyond to view the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, and other cosmic wonders. These gatherings typically draw more than 100 stargazers.

Specialized groups are also hosted at the Observatory. For example, the Georgia Tech Astronomy Club uses the facility during its weekly meetings.

“The Observatory is a haven where students can step outside for a moment and get lost in the stars,” says AJ Chadha, club president and fourth-year computer science major. “With one of the largest telescopes in Georgia, the on-campus 20-inch GT-SORT, we weave astronomy directly into student life.”

Under Sell’s leadership, the Observatory will continue to strengthen partnerships with student organizations, campus units, and community groups.

“I'm excited to explore additional ways we can use this resource for outreach and academic purposes that benefit both Georgia Tech and the Atlanta community,” Sell adds.

A passion for astronomy

Before joining Georgia Tech, Sell served as senior lecturer, astronomy undergraduate coordinator, and interim director of the teaching observatory at the University of Florida. 

His passion for astronomy began at an early age, sparked by a gift from his parents: an Orion refracting lens telescope.

“I remember taking out that telescope, even in freezing cold Ohio winters, simply because the observing conditions were better,” he recalls.

Sell nurtured his interest in astronomy through his university studies and extracurricular activities, which included working in planetaria as an undergraduate at the University of Toledo. He later obtained a Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to share my passion for astronomy, not only with our physics students but with the larger Georgia Tech community — through classroom lectures, student advising, and Observatory outreach,” Sell says.