I am an extragalactic astronomer with an inclusive attitude towards the electromagnetic spectrum. I've used observations from the radio through the X-ray to study quasars (actively growing supermassive black holes) and compact galaxy groups. The growing black holes powering quasars are found in the centres of distant galaxies, and a quasar can outshine all of the stars in its galaxy a thousand times over. While they are growing, quasars often also spew out material at high speeds in energetic winds. My research focusses on understanding the relationship between black hole growth and winds, the properties of these winds, and their interactions with their host galaxies. A compact galaxy group comprises a handful of large galaxies within a few galaxy radii of eachother. As a result, the galaxies undergo repeated gravitational encounters that alter their shapes and star formation histories over time. In addition to being spectacularly beautiful, this unusual environment allows our team to study how cold gas - the fuel for star formation - is processed while being pushed and pulled by multiple galaxies in close proximity.
