Studying in detail the interplay between stars and the gas in galaxies, and
working to measure the physical forces dominating the evolution of star forming regions, and interpreting emission form ionized, neutral and molecular gas together.
My collaborators and I work to uncover the underlying physics that ties the stellar feedback to the physical conditions in HII regions, PDRs and Molecular phases of the ISM. We develope self consistent models of the environment around star forming region using only an equation of state and the initial conditions at the illuminated face of the cloud.
Meet the star forming regions studied in detail, including M17 where modern techniques to analytically determin radiation pressures in star forming regions were pioneered.
The proto-typical Milky Way star forming region, home to a cluster of 1000s of stars, but dominated by one.
To date, it is the only SF region where radiation pressure has been shown to dominate the nebular EOS, setting thermal gas and magnetic pressures.
A young, mini-starburst in the Milky Way hidden behind a large column of dust. Radiation and winds are racing to carve the region before the first SNe.
The cumulative effects of radiation, wind and SNe forces from 50,000 stars have expanded the system until present day pressures are low...with a few surprises.
