Cosmic CSI January 31st

cosmiccsi Hydrogen gas is the raw material of the universe, and from this simple element we get stars and galaxies. But not all galaxies get to hang onto their gassy building blocks – there are a number of ways in which this nebulous matter can be stripped from a galaxy, robbing it of its ability to form new generations of stars.Anne Abramson, an astronomy PhD candidate from Yale University, has been on the cutting edge of studying the gas stripping that is occurring in three galaxies located within the nearby Virgo Cluster. Using the Hubble Space Telescope and state-of-the-art computer technology, Anne and her colleagues have been successful in shedding light on important processes that play a pivotal role in how galaxies within clusters evolve over time.Anne Abramson is the only astronomer currently working in the US who was born and raised in Holly Grove, Arkansas. She went to boarding school in Exeter, New Hampshire and became interested in astronomy while attending Columbia University in New York City. After spending 7 years as a Ph.D. student in astronomy at Yale University, she re-located to sunny Redwood City, California, where she is finishing her thesis remotely while teaching and tutoring astronomy and physics. She also enjoys hiking, growing orchids, and spending time with her husband and pet rats.

Please join us to hear Anne’s presentation at the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub’s Launch Pad on January 31st at 4pm. The program is free and open to one and all and is intended for audiences of all levels and backgrounds (in other words you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to enjoy this fascinating program!)