Department of Physics and Astronomy names Greg Taylor as chair following Rich Rand's retirement
June 24, 2026
After three decades of service to The University of New Mexico, Professor Richard Rand is retiring from the Department of Physics and Astronomy, concluding a distinguished career that included more than seven years as department chair.
During his tenure as chair, Rand guided the department through significant periods of growth and challenge. He oversaw the department's move into the Physics, Astronomy and Interdisciplinary Science (PAIS) building, led faculty and staff through the COVID-19 pandemic, navigated staffing shortages, secured the department's first endowed chair and initiated efforts to build a new campus observatory.
"It's been a time of great challenges and great successes," Rand said. "The Department of Physics & Astronomy is simply extraordinary, and I can't say enough about the exceptional research carried out here and the dedication of the faculty and our outstanding staff to its mission."
Beginning July 1, Distinguished Professor Greg Taylor will assume the role of chair, bringing more than two decades of experience as a faculty member, researcher and academic leader within the department.
Taylor joined UNM in 2005 and currently serves as director of the Center for Astrophysical Research and Technologies and founding director of the Long Wavelength Array. Prior to joining UNM, he spent more than a decade on the scientific staff at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Socorro.
His research interests span instrumentation, meteors, space weather, pulsars, gamma-ray bursts, active galaxies and their environments. Throughout his career, Taylor has advised 14 doctoral students and authored or co-authored more than 330 peer-reviewed publications.
