• My teaching interests cover a wide range, from astronomy labs for non-science majors to advanced theory courses for Physics Majors The Astrophysics course I teach for the Astronomy Minor is probably my favorite. I have led or participated in the development of introductory astronomy and physics labs with the help of NSF, Mellon, and other private foundation funding to our department.

    My research is in astrophysics, focusing on distant galaxies with powerful cores known as "active galactic nuclei" (AGN). We use arrays of radio telescopes to image AGN at high resolution.

    These include two instruments operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory: the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) and Very Large Array (VLA). The VLBA and VLA allow us to study the physics of relativistic "jets" that begin near supermassive black holes in AGN, and transport energy to immense "lobes" a million light-years away. A total of 46 Trinity students have participated in this work, which has been funded by NASA, NSF, Research Corporation, and the American Astronomical Society.

    • “A Three-decade X-band VLBI Study of 3CR Lobe-dominated Quasar Nuclei” Hough, D.H., in The Innermost Regions of Relativistic Jets and Their Magnetic Fields, edited by J.L. Gomez, European Physical Journal Web of Conferences, 61, 08009  (2013).
    • "Parsec-scale Jets in Lobe-dominated Quasars" by Hough, D.H., inExtragalactic Jets: Theory and Observation from Radio to Gamma Ray, edited by T.A. Rector and D.S. DeYoung (Astronomical Society of the Pacific, San Francisco), pp. 274-278 (2008).
    • "Optical Spectrophotometry of a Complete Sample of 3CR Lobe-dominated Quasars" by Aars, C.E., Hough, D.H., Vermeulen, R.C., Readhead, A.C.S., Yu, L.H., Linick, J.P., and Beyer, P.J.,Astronomical Journal, Vol. 130, pp. 23-46 (2005).
    • Introduction to Mechanics 
    • General Physics I & II 
    • Electromagnetic Fields 
    • Advanced Theoretical Physics 
    • Astrophysics 
    • Observational Astronomy Lab

    I won a national award, the 2014 Astronomical League Award, for “worthwhile contributions to the science of astronomy on a national or international level.”

    Community Involvement

    I have given numerous talks on astronomy and hosted observatory visits for various school and scout groups. I have also assisted with various youth sport and musical activities.

    Trinity Involvement

    • Chair, Department of Physics and Astronomy
    • Adviser, Society of Physics Students
    • Faculty Development Committee (have been panel chair)
    • Committee on Admissions, Scholarships, and Financial Aid (have been chair)
    • University Commission on Promotion and Tenure
    • Served as Vice Chair, Chair-elect, Chair, and Past Chair of Texas Section of the American Physical Society, 2006-2010
    • Alpha Lambda Delta Professor of the Month
    • Blue Key Honor Society Favorite Professor