Welcome!

Self-proclaimed space cowgirl, I am a Galactic archeologist investigating the origins of the Milky Way at the University of Texas at Austin advised by Dr. Keith Hawkins. I research the chemodynamic evolution of the Milky Way by using stellar spectroscopy to analyze the chemical abundances of stars in our Galaxy, an endeavor that started when I obtained my B.S. in Astrophysics from the University of Florida.

Research

My first reserch project investigated the production mechanisms behind Massive Alpha Enhanced (MAE) stars in the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiement (APOGEE) seventeenth data release. The masses of these stars would imply that they are cosmically young, yet paradoxically their [alpha/Fe] abundances suggest they are old. How can this be? Along with Dr. Keith Hawkins and Dr. Zachary Maas, I evaluated their 12C/13C ratios to unearth any chemical relics of stellar interactions for this peculiar class of stars. This project is currently ongoing.

I am presently working on uncovering chemical azimuthal variations in the Galactic disk. Using APOGEE DR-17, I find a negative radial [Fe/H] gradient in the disk of -0.066 dex/kpc. I find azimuthal variations beyond this gradient on the ~0.1 dex level in [Fe/H], as well as other elements such as [O/Fe], [Mg/Fe], and [Mn/Fe]. Separating our sample by age and coupling these results with dynamics help us narrow down what processes drive Galactic evolution, one of the main goals of Galactic archeology. Check out the paper here!

Recently, heavy-element stellar spectroscopy has re-captured my heart. I am interested in the liason between asteroseismic ages and nuclear cosmochronometric ages, as well as any project that lets me search for r-process elements!

After wrapping up these projects, I eagerly look forward to using the stars incidentally observed during the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX) to identify uncharted metal-poor stars in the halo and create an unbiased Metallicity Distribution Function of the Milky Way.

A bit about me!

Born and raised Floridian, I love to bask in the sunlight! With my family hailing from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, I try to emanate the Caribbean's love of life - and the beach. On days that I am not working, I love to travel and be in Mother Earth's awe-inspiring nature. I am also known to love a good book, yoga practice, and long walks on the beach with Bear (my dog).

Avid lover of astronomy and craft beer, I am happy to be an organizer of Austin's Astronomy on Tap. Check us out!

Astronomy is an inclusive space.

I am fully committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive envrionment in Astronomy. I believe that our abilities and experiences shape the lens through which we approach science. Most importantly, science is done by humans! All humans deserve equal access and opportunities in science.

Florida Gator

I graduated with my B.S. in Astrophysics from the University of Florida in 2021 after working with Dr. Rana Ezzeddine for two years.

NLTE Conference

The 2023 Stellar Properties from NLTE Radiative Transfer conference at which I presented about the key witnesses of Galactic evolution -- stars.

McDonald Observatory

I have the privilege of observing at McDonald Observatory as a part of my research, one of my favorite parts of astronomy.

Girl Scout Presentation

In 2022 I was able to present an interactive lecture to elementary-aged girl scouts! I am deeply passionate about fostering the love for science in young women and gender-nonconforming people.

SDSS-V Conference

I had the amazing opprotunity to present my work on azimuthal metallicity variations in the Galactic disk to an extremely welcoming and engaging crowd.

Master's Defense

Howdy! I presented my Master's Defense at UT Austin in Spring of 2024 with a space cowgirl twist, taking the audience on a journey throughout the Galactic Frontier.

Publications

Linked below are projects that I have conducted with some amazing colleagues!

Azimuthal Variations in the Disk

Hackshaw et al 2024
Chemical azimuthal variations in the Galactic disk show age dependencies and tantalizing hints towards what dynamical process is causing this substructure!

Novel Uranium Lines

Shah et al 2023
New U II lines at 4050 and 4090 Å prove to be reliable and render abundances in agreement with the canonical 3859 Å line enabling robust calculations of nucleocosmochronometric ages.

Ultra Li-rich [Fe/H]-poor Red Giant

Kowkabany et al 2022
Discovery of a metal-poor ([Fe/H]=-2.43), r-process enhanced ([Eu/Fe]=+1.34) Milky Way Halo red giant with an ultra high Li abundance of A(Li)(3D,NLTE)=5.62 and [Li/Fe]=+7.00.