Ultra-faint Dwarfs: Galaxies in Evolution
At the Museum | Farrand Auditorium
Ultra–faint dwarf galaxies (UFDs) are ancient relics from the early universe, offering a unique window into the first generations of stars and the nature of dark matter. Recent advances in near–field cosmology have illuminated the star formation suppression mechanisms that affect these systems, have used these systems to constrain the Milky Way’s dark matter halo mass, and have begun analyzing elemental abundance trends in UFD stars—distinguishing true pristine relics from more evolved systems. These galaxies may hold the strongest chemical signatures of the first stars—Population III stars—helping us refine our understanding of early structure formation. With upcoming surveys from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, and future 30-meter-class telescopes, we are poised to discover even fainter and more pristine UFDs, pushing the limits of galaxy formation theory. In this talk, CSU San Bernardino Assistant Professor M. Katy Rodriguez Wimberly, Ph.D., will explore the latest breakthroughs in UFD research and the exciting prospects ahead as we use these ancient systems to probe the earliest cosmic epochs.
Dr. Rodriguez Wimberly has expertise in near-field cosmology and galaxy evolution, particularly in ultrafaint dwarf galaxies. Alongside astrophysics, Katy is also passionate about mentorship—she is director of mentorship for the Cal–Bridge Program, a CSU-UC STEM scholarship program, where her aim is to normalize a holistic approach to academic success and strengthen marginalized communities. She continues this work through her service on the Astronomical Society of the Pacific’s Board of Directors. A SoCal native, she first attended Mt. San Antonio College, then earned her physics B.S. from CSU Long Beach, her physics Ph.D. from UC Irvine, and completed a postdoc at UC Riverside, where she was a National Science Foundation Math & Physical Sciences Ascend Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Aside from work, she loves slightly contradictory things like hiking and binging anime, HIIT and gardening, and Disneyland and rock-climbing (though her 2 young kids make a lot of that hard).
Talk starts at 7:30 PM and seats are limited, so show up early if you want to be sure of a seat. No tickets or reservations required.
This event is part of a monthly series of free astronomy talks presented by Santa Barbara’s astronomy club, the Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit (SBAU). Look for more talks and free Star Parties with the SBAU on the Museum’s astronomy calendar.
Questions? Contact Ila Jade Komasa at ijadekomasa@sbnature2.org or 805-682-4711 ext. 164.
