Samantha Garza 

I recently defended my dissertation work at the University of Washington-Seattle titled The Carbon Cycle of Galactic Atmospheres: Connecting Star-Formation and Cosmic Gas Flows with the Physical Conditions of the Circumgalactic Medium. I previously studied the inner arms of the Milky Way, the relationship between how fast stars are forming and annoying dust particles, and (my favorite galaxy) the Whirlpool Galaxy. I love serving the public and regularly lead outreach events such as Astronomy On Tap! In my free time I enjoy exploring tide pools, searching for whales, crafting, playing volleyball, hiking, and baking for my friends.