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Research

Most of my work is on how distant galaxies form and evolve, and how that evolution is related to their larger scale environment.  Due to the redshifting of light, studies of distant galaxies almost always involve infrared observations.  Below are some of the projects/surveys I’ve been involved with recently.

The Gemini Cluster Astrophysics Spectroscopic Survey (GCLASS)

The Gemini Cluster Astrophysics Spectroscopic Survey (GCLASS) is a comprehensive multiwavelength survey of 10 massive clusters at z ~ 1.1 selected from the 42 square degree SpARCS IR cluster survey.  The backbone of GCLASS project is a 220 hr spectroscopic campaign using the GMOS instruments on Gemini North and South.  The goals of GCLASS are to characterize the effects of environment on galaxy evolution in the most massive, large-scale structures at high redshift, and also to determine the relationship between dark and luminous matter in the early universe. 

Results

The NEWFIRM Medium Band Surveys (NMBSI+II)

The NEWFIRM Medium Band Survey is a 72 night NOAO survey project on the KPNO 4m telescope that uses custom built near-infrared medium bands.  The medium bands allow high-precision photometric redshifts and rest-frame colors for distant massive galaxies.  In 2012 we completed observations for the NMBS-II, a 6 square degree survey designed to find massive “monster” galaxies at z ~ 2.  I am leading the data reduction of the NMBS-II.

Results

Spitzer Observations of Massive z ~ 2.3 Galaxies

We have been using a sample of massive galaxies with extensive NIR spectroscopy from GNIRS to assess how well we can measure physical parameters of distant galaxies such as stellar masses and star formation rates using locally-calibrated models.

Results