Gary Ferland
Professor of Physics and Astronomy — University of KentuckyDeveloper of the Cloudy astrophysical simulation code, widely used to model the physical conditions in cosmic plasmas. Recipient of the 2025 Catherine Wolfe Bruce Medal, awarded for lifetime contributions to astronomy.
A frequent speaker on astronomy, cosmology, and our cosmic origins.
This page features interviews and public lectures related to my work in astrophysics, including presentations for general audiences and cruise enrichment programs.
“We Are Star Stuff” – Cruise Enrichment Lecture
Celebrity Apex, March 2026
A 35-minute enrichment lecture presented to several hundred passengers during the March 2026 Caribbean cruise aboard the Celebrity Apex, followed by audience questions.
UK Research Interview — Using Computing to Understand the Universe
I discuss the history of the Cloudy astrophysical simulation project, which I brought to Lexington in 1980. Cloudy is a widely used simulation code for modeling astrophysical plasmas. The project has been supported continuously by the Astronomy Division of the National Science Foundation for more than forty years.
Cloudy – 50 Years of the Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge
This talk was given at the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Institute of Astronomy at Cambridge University. I began working on Cloudy while a postdoc at Cambridge. The code is named after the famous East Anglian weather.
WKYT Television Interview — Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal
Local Lexington television coverage of the Catherine Wolfe Bruce Medal, awarded by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific for lifetime contributions to astrophysics.