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Research Interests:
My main interest has been the study of Active Galactic Nuclei through spectropolarimetry, an observational technique which allows us to study the spectra and the polarization of an object simultaneously. Polarizations may arise from intrinsic emission processes, or reflection by or transmission through dust grains, or scattering by electrons, or a combination of these effects. The wavelength dependence of the polarization is different for many of these processes; thus spectropolarimetry can yield clues as to the polarigenic origin. By identifying regions of polarized light, spectropolarimetry can tell us information about the kinematics, geometry, and spatial distribution of gas and/or dust in an extended object, and about the continuum emission processes. Projects have included spectropolarimetry of luminous IRAS AGN which are also Xray sources, and of radio galaxies with double peaked emission lines. I have been obtaining optical data with an experimental spectropolarimeter used with the RC spectrograph on the 4m telescope at CTIO, and also from Lick Observatory. I have used HST in collaboration with R Cohen to study Seyfert galaxies spectropolarimetrically in the UV, and used HST to conduct polarimetric imaging observations of the inner regions of Seyfert galaxies. More recently I have been the lead author on the textbook '21c Astronomy'.
TEACHING: Summer 2021 Semester A:
Life in the Universe - ASTR BC 1753
Astronomy Lab - ASTR UN 1903/1904
On Sabbatical Spr 2021
Background:
| 2016--2020 | Chair, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Barnard College, Columbia University. |
| 2010--2013 | Chair, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Barnard College, Columbia University |
| 2009--2014 | Ann Whitney Olin Professor, Barnard College, Columbia University |
| 2008--2009 | Interim Assoc. Dean for Curriculum and Faculty Governance, Barnard College, Columbia Univ. |
| 2007-- | Professor, Barnard College, Columbia University |
| 2006--2009 | Chair, Dept. of Women's Studies, Barnard College, Columbia University. |
| 2001--2004 | Chair, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Barnard College, Columbia University. |
| 1999--2007 | Associate Professor, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Barnard College |
| 1991--1999 | Assistant Professor, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Barnard College |
| 1995 | Visiting Researcher, CTIO, La Serena, Chile |
| 1995 | NSF Intl. Research Fellow, Instituto Astronomico e Geofisico, Univ. São Paulo, Brazil |
| 1991, 1992 | ASEE/NASA Summer Faculty Fellow, NASA Ames Research Center |
| 1984--1985 | Upper Atmosphere Physicist, Bartol Research Foundation, South Pole, Antarctica |
| 1990 | PhD, University of California, Santa Cruz (Astronomy and Astrophysics) |
| 1984 | M.S., University of California, Santa Cruz (Astronomy and Astrophysics) |
| 1981, 1982 | BS, AB, Stanford University (Physics and Feminist Studies) |
Misc:
Selected Publications:
| 2019 Jul | kay@astro.columbia.edu |