Faculty Spotlight: Erin Hicks
Dr. Erin K. S. Hicks is a Professor of Astronomy in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. Her research explores the role of supermassive black holes in shaping galaxies into what we observe today. Working with collaborators around the world, she uses both ground-based and space-based observatories, including the James Webb Space Telescope, the Hubble Space Telescope, the Keck Observatory, and the ESO Very Large Telescope. She earned her Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics from the University of California, Los Angeles, and held postdoctoral positions at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics and as an NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Washington.鈥嬧�� Dr. Hicks is committed to mentoring students and, through her teaching, research, and public outreach, seeks to inspire curiosity and empower the next generation of scientists.
Professor Hicks sat down with us to discuss her research, the role of external funding, and her thoughts about the future of scientific research at UAA and beyond.
Professor Hicks, will you provide a brief overview of your research and a few of the projects that you鈥檙e currently working on?
鈥淢y research generally focuses on the evolution of galaxies over cosmic time, with the goal of understanding present-day galaxy ecosystems, including the stars, planets, and the supermassive black holes that lie at the centers of galaxies. Specifically, I study galaxies where the central supermassive black holes are actively consuming material. By doing so, I aim to understand the physical processes driving this black hole growth and how this is connected to the evolution of the surrounding galaxy environment. Currently, one of my primary projects involves using the James Webb Space Telescope to study the gas and dust near these supermassive black holes.
By modeling the temperature distribution of molecular gas in this region we are able to better understand what processes are important in the vicinity of the black hole. In addition, by combining these data with observations from ground-based facilities like the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array we can trace the inflow of gas feeding the growth of the black hole. We鈥檙e also studying the energetic outflows of gas launched from very close to the black hole, which have the potential to change the galaxy in which the black hole resides. These combined observations are helping us build a more comprehensive picture of how black holes shape their host galaxies over time.鈥�
How has your research benefited from or even relied on external funding, and federal funding in particular?
鈥淓xternal funding, especially from federal sources, has played an important role in supporting both my research and the opportunities I can offer students. Much of the work I do depends on access to cutting-edge observatories, such as the James Webb Space Telescope, which are funded and operated through federal programs. Without these facilities, we simply wouldn鈥檛 be able to tackle the most important and exciting questions about our universe.
Federal funding has allowed me to involve students in authentic research experiences where they can contribute meaningfully to ongoing projects. This support helps fund student research positions and travel to national and international conferences. It also provides time for me to focus on research and development of future projects during the summer months.鈥�
How have you used research funding to enrich the experience of your students?
鈥淢any of our students face significant challenges in balancing their academic ambitions with the financial realities of supporting themselves. With research funding, I鈥檓 able to offer paid research positions, allowing students to focus more fully on developing their skills and advancing their career goals. This not only deepens their engagement with the research but has also prepared students to pursue and secure their own research funding to continue to advance their projects. In addition, research funding makes it possible for these students to present their work at national and international conferences. These experiences provide valuable professional development and give students the chance to build networks that are essential for launching their careers.鈥�
Has your research been affected by any of the reductions at the federal level?
鈥淔ortunately, none of my active grants have been directly impacted by recent federal reductions. However, I am increasingly concerned about the future. Uncertainty around the availability of future funding, combined with proposed cuts that would scale back the operations of current observatories and delay or cancel the development of future ones, poses a serious, long-term challenge. More personally, I鈥檓 very concerned about my ability to continue providing the support that I know benefits our students.
Research funding allows me to offer meaningful opportunities to engage students directly in scientific investigation and it is these opportunities that are often transformative for their academic and professional growth. Without sustained federal support, providing those kinds of research opportunities will become increasingly difficult.鈥�
How would you explain the value of scientific research to someone who may believe that the federal government should not support such efforts?
鈥淪cientific research enables us to understand the world in which we live, and that understanding is what ultimately allows us to address the complex challenges we face as a society. While research with immediate, real-world applications is often the most obvious in its impact, those breakthroughs are only possible because of the basic science that uncovered the fundamental principles that underlie them. Federal support for this work is essential to preparing us for the anticipated and unanticipated challenges of the future.鈥�
Is there a future research project that you will be working on that you鈥檇 like to highlight?
鈥淭he James Webb Space Telescope has now been in operation for a few years and we have had many exciting discoveries during that time. My colleagues, students, and I have had the pleasure of working with this new data, diving deep into the hearts of several nearby galaxies with actively growing supermassive black holes, each with their own unique story to tell. I am excited to be moving into a phase where we are connecting what we have learned from these individual galaxies and combining these observations with data from other observatories. This enables us to really begin exploring and considering the galaxy population more broadly and to address questions relevant to the evolution of all galaxies, including our own, the Milky Way. The potential breakthroughs made possible by combining data from these cutting-edge facilities, and the new way in which they allow us to observe our universe, is extremely exciting.鈥�
Thanks for your time and for your dedication to science.