The formation and evolution of massive galaxies

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Observational cosmology is an attempt to understand the processes by which the rich and complex structure in the present-day universe formed and evolved. While the generalities of structure formation are now well established, the details of galaxy evolution remain unclear, largely due to the complex physics which manifests on small scales.  My approach to research in this area is multifacited, combining a number of different, yet complementary, studies. I work on detailed studies of small numbers of galaxies, which can teach us about very specific physics driving their evolution; but also statistical studies of large samples, which provides information on global properties of galaxies and the overall trends in galaxy evolution. Studying galaxies which exist in isolation as well as those evolving in unique high density regions constrains the role of the environment in forming galaxies, which we know to be an important factor. I also sample the entire electromagnetic spectrum, though with a strong focus on the  infrared wavelength regime, which until now has been relatively poorly studied. Such multiwavelength data are crucial as observations at different wavelengths probe different physical processes which are relevant to galaxy evolution. For example, the infrared allows us to study the current star formation in a galaxy, while optical light gives us information on previous star formation. I am interested in questions such as: how does the environment drive galaxy evolution?  Do massive galaxies form in a single burst of star formation or is their growth extended over time? Does a growing central black hole regulate the the ability of a galaxy to form stars, and if so, how? Using the complementary techniques described above, and the new generation of telescopes and detectors, we can now begin to answer these questions.