Kathy L Cooksey

Current Position: Intentionally taking a break Previous Position: Associate Professor, Dept. of Physics & Astronomy, College of Natural & Health Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Hilo Research Interests: I research the large-scale gaseous structure in the universe to understand how various elements cycle in and out of galaxies, over cosmic time. As light from bright, distant objects traverse the universe, intervening gas clouds—between, around, and in galaxies—absorb the light at wavelengths characteristic, albeit redshifted, of the chemical elements in the clouds. By identifying and modeling the elements associated with absorption-line systems, we learn about how gas is processed through and dispersed from galaxies. ("Elevator pitch" using only words from the 1000 most common available here, a la the XKCD Up Goer Five comic.) I have a Google-Slides "e-book" (slide is the illustration and notes are the text) on the observational technique: quasar absorption-line spectroscopy.

Catwalk at Las Campanas Observatory. Having a little fun in the 40 mph winds (May 2012). Photo by Amanda Zangari.