Research

Strong Gravitational Lensing 

I research strong gravitational lensing under the advisement of Professor Keren Sharon. 

We know the Universe is expanding at an accelerating rate, but the value of the Hubble constant is still up for debate.  For the first time, I used a sample of quasars lensed by galaxy clusters to measure the Hubble constant.  My research was recently featured in the AAS Nova.

I also use the 6.5-meter Magellan Telescopes to help discover new quasars lensed by galaxy clusters.  In collaboration with COOL-LAMPS, we have discovered three new systems in the past 3.5 years.  I am the Principal Investigator of a joint Hubble Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory program to study one of our newly-discovered cluster-lensed quasars.

Image Description: Hubble Space Telescope image of SDSS J1029+2623, one of only a handful of known cluster-lensed quasars in the Universe. 

Ground-based Observing

I am an experienced observer with the Magellan Telescopes in Chile.  I have used several instruments including LDSS3, IMACS, FIRE, FourStar, and MagE.    

Since 2021, I have been the PI of 11 nights of observing.

Image Description: Kate stands on a raised platform next to a Las Campanas Observatory employee as he cleans the 6.5 primary mirror.   

Presentations


Image Description: Kate is standing at the podium where she presented at the 20 Years of Chandra Science Symposium.   

Collaboration Membership