The topic of each ARA&A paper spans three lectures, with each lecture taking a progressively deeper dive into the subject. In the first lecture on each topic, the instructor will provide a pedagogical introduction to the methods and requisite theory of the topic. The second lecture will present an overview of some of the important research results from the ARA&A paper and will be given by one of the co-authors of the review paper - a special opportunity to learn directly from the experts! The third lecture in each cycle will be student-led – each student will identify one research paper on the topic of the review (more details below) and present to the class.
The ARA&A journal references and lecture schedule is given below. It is recommended that students read the review paper in advance of each 3-lecture topic cycle.
1) 7 x 10% = 70% on in-class presentations. For each of the 7 ARA&A reviews, there will be one student-led session. Each student in the class will present on each review topic (i.e. once every 3 lectures). The presentation should focus on one science paper whose content is relevant to the topic. The paper can either be one listed on the sign-up sheet, or one selected by the student (in this latter case, the paper must be approved by Sara in advance). Either way, please use the sign-up sheet to select your paper. The student’s presentation should identify the science question/objective of the paper, why this is important, and what the results are. A simple review of the paper (that does not demonstrate thoughtful understanding of the topic’s relevance, context or importance) will not receive full marks. Presentations should be 10 minutes long. The one exception to the in-class presentation is for the first article (Salim and Narayanan) where there is an actual assignment instead of class on January 15. See link in the date grid below.
2) 10% class participation throughout the course. To receive full participation marks you should a) attend all classes except when you excuse yourself in advance, b) engage in discussions and ask questions. For example, if you attend every lecture but ask no questions all term, you will only receive 5% for your participation grade.
3) 20% final oral exam. One of the goals of the course is that you should be able to have meaningful conversations about modern extra-galactic observational astronomy. The oral exam will be a one-on-one discussion with the instructor on topics covered by the course. You should be able to demonstrate familiarity with the methods, key science discoveries, relevance and potential for future work. This will happen on April 8.
| Article authors | Article topic | Date of intro lecture | Date of guest lecture | Date of student lecture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salim and Narayanan 2020 | Dust in galaxies | Jan 8 | Jan 11 / slides | Jan 15 - assignment replaces class |
| Hickox & Alexander 2018 | Obscured Active Galactic Nuclei | Jan 18 | Jan 22 / slides | Jan 25 |
| Saintonge and Catinella 2022 | Gas in low z galaxies | Jan 29 | Feb 1 part 1 part 2 / slides | Feb 5 |
| Sanchez 2020 | Spatially resolved properties of low z galaxies | Feb 8 | Feb 12 / slides | Feb 15 |
| Tumlinson, Peeples and Werk 2017 | The circumgalactic medium | Feb 26 | Feb 29 / slides | March 11 |
| Tacconi, Genzel and Sternberg 2020 | Gas in high z galaxies | March 14 | March 18 | March 21 |
| Forster-Schreiber and Wuyts 2020 | Star forming galaxies at high z | March 25 | March 28 / slides | April 4 |