Liese van Zee's Home Page

I am currently an Assistant Professor in the Astronomy Department at Indiana University Bloomington. Previously, I was a Research Associate at the Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics located at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory. I was also a Jansky Postdoctoral Fellow at NRAO Socorro. I completed my graduate studies at Cornell University, where I worked with Martha Haynes.


Teaching

In Spring 2009, I will be teaching A575: Structure and Evolution of Galaxies. This is a graduate course which covers the broad topic of galaxy formation and evolution.

In Spring 2007, I taught A452: Extragalactic Astrophysics. This is an advanced course for physics and astronomy majors which covers extragalactic astronomy and cosmology.

In Fall 2005, I taught General Astronomy I (A221). This course is the first semester of the General Astronomy sequence, in which we cover the Solar System and the discovery of exo-solar planets. This course is designed for future astronomy majors and for physical science majors interested in astronomy.

In Spring 2005, I organized A780: Seminar in Astronomy on the design and development of 30m optical/IR telescopes.

In Spring 2004, I taught General Astronomy II (A222) . This is the second semester of the introductory sequence for physical science students in which we cover stars, stellar structure, stellar evolution, the interstellar medium, galaxies, and cosmology. This course is designed for future astronomy majors and for physical science majors interested in astronomy.

In Spring 2004, I organized A780: Seminar in Astronomy on the chemical enrichment of the universe from stars to galaxies.



Current Research

I am working on several projects related to understanding the links between star formation, elemental enrichment, and gas distribution and kinematics in star forming galaxies. My work focusses on both the star formation history and evolution of dwarf galaxies (including stellar population models and regulatory mechanisms for star formation) as well as the elemental enrichment of spiral and irregular galaxies.

See the Indiana Extragalactic Research Group Web Page for more details.

I am also involved in the E-ALFA consortium which will undertake several blind surveys for neutral hydrogen in galaxies using the new seven feed L-band receiver at Arecibo Observatory. The drift precursor proposal was allocated telescope time in August and September 2004; the Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA Survey (ALFALFA) is currently underway.



Journal Club

Astronomy journal club meets Thursday morning at 11am in the conference room. All are welcome.

Selected Recent Publications

  • A Search for Low Surface Brightness Structure Around Compact Narow Emission Line Galaxies
    E. J. Barton, L. van Zee, & M. A. Bershady, 2006, ApJ, 649, 129.

  • Oxygen and Nitrogen in Leo A and GR 8
    L. van Zee, E. D. Skillman, & M. P. Haynes 2006, ApJ, 637, 269.

  • Oxygen and Nitrogen in Isolated Dwarf Irregular Galaxies
    L. van Zee & M. P. Haynes, 2006, ApJ, 636, 214.

  • Kinematic Constraints on Evolutionary Scenarios for Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies: II. Neutral Hydrogen Observations of Compact Dwarf Irregular Galaxies
    L. van Zee, J. J. Salzer, & C. L. Taylor 2005, AJ, submitted.

  • The Nature of Radio Continuum Emission at Very Low Metallicity: Very Large Array Observations of I Zw 18
    J. M. Cannon, F. Walter, E. D. Skillman, & L. van Zee, 2005, ApJL, 621, L21.

  • Stellar Populations of Dwarf Elliptical Galaxies: UBVRI Photometry of Dwarf Elliptical Galaxies in the Virgo Cluster
    L. van Zee, E. J. Barton, & E. D. Skillman 2004, AJ, 128, 2797.

  • Rotationally Supported Virgo Cluster Dwarf Elliptical Galaxies: Stripped Dwarf Irregular Galaxies?
    L. van Zee, E. D. Skillman, & M. P. Haynes 2004, AJ, 128, 121.

    Click here for a complete listing.


    Papers in preparation:

  • Investigating the Link Between Star Formation and Neutral Gas Distribution: The Interacting Dwarf Galaxy Pair UGC 5205 and CGCG 007-025
    L. van Zee & J. Omori, in prep.



    Web Links for Telescopes

  • The Very Large Array (NRAO)

  • The Green Bank 140ft (now defunct, NRAO)

  • The Green Bank Telescope (NRAO)

  • Arecibo Observatory (NAIC)

  • Kitt Peak National Observatory (NOAO)

  • Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (NOAO)

  • The Gemini Observatory

  • W. M. Keck Observatory

  • Palomar Observatory (Caltech/Cornell/JPL)

  • Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope

  • Hubble Space Telescope

  • James Clerk Maxwell Telescope



    Personal Links

    Liese's Travel Schedule

    My current "to do" list

  • vanzee@astro.indiana.edu
    Last modified: Fri Sept 22 12:00 2006