|
| |||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||
Research
I received my B. S. degree in June 2010 from the University of Washington,
majoring in both physics and astronomy.
While at UW, I worked with Paula Szkody to identify cataclysmic variable
systems form Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) multi-wavelength imaging data.
I also worked with Chris Laws to identify and classify RR-Lyrae stars in the
surrounding halo of our Milky Way galaxy. We measured the metallicities of
these systems, based on two-epoch variability and colors, and searched for
over-densities in the galactic halo, as part of a large international
collaboration. I worked with Dr. Laws and Dr. John Wisniewski as a part of the
MARVELS project. Using follow up echelle observations taken at APO I helped
determined stellar parameters such as temperature and gravity for planet
candidate stars. I studied globular clusters in the SDSS with
Dr. Zeljko Ivezic, developing models of the color, metallicity,
and stellar counts and combining SDSS and 2-Mass survey infrared data to test
models of extinction approaching the galactic plane.
I have a strong interest in public outreach in addition to my research
efforts, and have developed several web sites designed to foster interest in
astronomy and describe astronomical research efforts underway at UW.
I began my graduate studies in August 2010. My current interests include
galaxy formation and evolution, along with stellar populations.
I currently run the APOGEE data reduction pipeline. APOGEE stands for the
Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment and is part of the
Sloan Digital Sky Survey. APOGEE is a high resolution fiber-fed infrared
spectrograph operating in the H band. It aims to observe over 100,000 red
giant stars across our galaxy and obtain kinematics and abundances for up to
15 elements, maping out the structure of our galaxy.
I am currently working with Dr. Jon Holtzmann on the APOGEE survey. I am
determing distances to each star we observe. Using the distances I obtain for
each star, I am trying to find a metallicity gradient for the Milky Way. No
one has done this before for giant stars, and so any result- even the lack of a
gradient for our sample- will still be extremely useful in probing galactic
evolution.
Publications
Cataclysmic Variables from SDSS. VII. The Seventh Year (2006)
Paula Szkody, Scott F. Anderson, Michael Hayden, Martin Kronberg, et al.
2009, AJ, 137, 4011