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Peter Frinchaboy
Mapping the Dynamics of the Milky Way: The Bar to the Edge of the Disk
Research Interests:
While the Milky Way generally provides a unique laboratory for detailed studied of the chemodynamics of disk galaxies, many key areas of the Galaxy essential to understanding the evolution of other disk galaxies still remain poorly studied. Using optical and infrared imaging and spectroscopy, I will (1) measure stellar kinematics and streaming motions along the Galactic bar to determine its extent and the nature of bar orbits and (2) determine the origin, dynamics, evolution, and chemical history of the Milky Way disk using open clusters as tracers.
Education and Outreach Interests:
For my educational activity, I am developing techniques to integrate research into courses in non-traditional colleges (i.e., small state schools) and prepare future professors for teaching non-traditional students.