The Big Bang produced only hydrogen, helium, and trace amounts
of lithium.
Everything else was synthesized in stars - from the carbon in
our cells and the oxygen we breathe to the silicon in our
computers.
This is what Carl Sagan meant in his famous quote
"We are made of star-stuff."
My research focuses on this connection between star formation
and the distribution of the elements in the universe.
Being the sites of star formation and supernovae in the
universe, galaxies are like petri dishes of their own nuclear
reactions, retaining the nuclear products that come out of
their own stars.
By studying the present-day chemical content of the stars and
gas within galaxies, we can learn about its star formation
history.
I am a theorist, so my work draws heavily on numerical modeling
and statistical methods.
As a proud computer nerd, I therefore spend a portion of my
time developing new astronomical computer programs to share
with the rest of the community.
For more details, check out the description of my research for
astronomers!
