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Structure and Evolution of Nearby Galaxies

Kristine Spekkens' research focuses on understanding of the structure and evolution of nearby galaxies in a cosmological context. She is spearheading a variety of projects to help reconcile long-standing discrepancies between the observed properties of spiral galaxies and predictions from galaxy formation theory, and is particularly interested in developing robust techniques for inferring the distribution of dark matter in these systems. Dr. Spekkens is also involved in planning surveys with the next generation of radio telescopes to map the distribution and kinematics of atomic hydrogen in galaxies in diverse environments out to moderate redshifts. Dr. Spekkens' program thus affords graduate students the opportunity to carry out research with the world's largest radio and optical telescopes, and to develop new tools for interpreting the high-quality data obtained from these facilities.