Research

Our group studies the evolution of galaxies and the origin of the elements of the periodic table.  Our main technique is stellar spectroscopy with some of the largest, best telescopes in the world.  The following four categories summarize the themes of our research.  Click each picture to learn more!

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  Galactic Archaeology

  An introduction to galactic archaeology, the study of the history of galaxies based on the evidence left over today. That evidence includes the positions, motions, and compositions of ancient stars.

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  Chemical Evolution

  The chemical content of galaxies changes as stars make new elements. We infer where the elements came from and how the galaxies processed those elements by measuring the compositions of stars that are still shining today.

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  Nucleosynthesis

  Every chemical element heavier than lithium was made in a star. We study which kinds of stars and stellar explosions make each element on the periodic table.

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  Spectroscopy, Telescopes, and Spectrographs

  Spectroscopy is the core technique of galactic archaeology. Our group uses telescope and spectrographs all over the world. We are even involved in building new, highly efficient spectrographs.