Prof L Kay

Laura Kay

Ann Whitney Olin Professor

	Dept of Physics and Astronomy
	Altschul - 503, (212) 854-7303
	lk157@columbia.edu

Research Interests:

- Active Galaxies (Seyferts, Radio Galaxies) and other Accretion Powered Compact Objects

- Spectropolarimetry, Polarimetric Instrumentation

- Polar Regions, Intl. Polar Year

- Women in Science

My main interest has been the study of Active Galactic Nuclei through spectropolarimetry, an observational technique which allows us to study the spectra and the polarization of an object simultaneously. Polarizations may arise from intrinsic emission processes, or reflection by or transmission through dust grains, or scattering by electrons, or a combination of these effects. The wavelength dependence of the polarization is different for many of these processes; thus spectropolarimetry can yield clues as to the polarigenic origin. By identifying regions of polarized light, spectropolarimetry can tell us information about the kinematics, geometry, and spatial distribution of gas and/or dust in an extended object, and about the continuum emission processes.
I'm the lead author on the latest editions of the textbook `21c Astronomy' and a co-author on `Understanding Our Universe'. I coordinated a project `Gender on Ice' for the International Polar year, with a workshop and special issue of Barnard's The Scholar & Feminist Online webjournal.

Recent Courses:

Life in the Universe - ASTR BC 1753

Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology - ASTR BC 1754

Exploring the Poles - FYS BC 1566

Women and Science - WMST 3131

Background:


2016-2020, 2010-2013	Chair, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Barnard College, Columbia University.
2009-2014	Ann Whitney Olin Professor, Barnard College
2008-2009	Interim Assoc. Dean for Curriculum and Faculty Governance, Barnard College
2007-	Professor, Barnard College, Columbia University
Jan 2006-2009	Chair, Dept. of Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies, Barnard College, Columbia University.
2001-2004	Chair, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Barnard College, Columbia University.
1999-2007	Associate Professor, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Barnard College
Jul-Dec 1995	NSF Intl. Research Fellow, Instituto Astronomico e Geofisico, Univ. São Paulo, Brazil
Jan-Jun 1995	Visiting Researcher, Cerro-Tololo Inter-American Observatory, La Serena, Chile
1991, 1992	ASEE/NASA Summer Faculty Fellow, NASA Ames Research Center
1991-1999	Assistant Professor, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Barnard College
1990	PhD, University of California, Santa Cruz (Astronomy and Astrophysics)
1984-1985	Upper Atmosphere Physicist, Bartol Research Foundation, South Pole, Antarctica
1984	M.S., University of California, Santa Cruz (Astronomy and Astrophysics)
1981, 1982	BS, AB, Stanford University (Physics and Feminist Studies)

Misc:

Polar Resources

Solar Eclipse in Rapa Nui, 2010

Aurora in Tromso, 2008

Solar Eclipse in Zambia, 2001

Selected Publications:

21st Century Astronomy, 4e, 5e, 6e, textbook for Intro. Astronomy; L. Kay, S. Palen, B. Smith, and G. Blumenthal. NY: W.W. Norton (2019, 2016, 2013).
Understanding Our Universe, 1e, 2a, 3ee , textbook for Intro. Astronomy, S. Palen, L. Kay, B. Smith, and G. Blumenthal. NY: W.W. Norton (2018, 2015, 2012).
``It Was a Very Long Dark and Stormy Night: `Bad' Antarctic Fiction from the Pulps to the Self-Published'', L. Kay, conference paper in Imagining Antarctica: Cultural Perspectives on the Southern Continent , R. Crane, E. Leane, and M. Williams eds. Hobart: Quintus Pub. (2011), pp 89-103.
21 Century Astronomy, 3e , textbook for Intro. Astronomy, J. Hester, B. Smith, G. Blumenthal, L. Kay, and H. Voss, NY: W.W. Norton (2010)
``Gender on Ice'' , special issue of The Scholar & Feminist Online, guest edited with E. Glasberg and L. Bloom, Issue 7.1, (Fall 2008)
``Transient and Highly Polarized Double-Peaked H-alpha Emission in the Seyfert 2 Nucleus of NGC 2110'' E. C. Moran, A. J. Barth, M. Eracleous and L. E Kay. ApJ, 668, L000, (2007)
``"Hidden" Seyfert 2 Galaxies in the Chandra Deep Field North'' C. Cardomone, E. C. Moran, and L. E. Kay. AJ, 134, 1263, (2007)
``Ultraviolet Imaging Polarimetry of the Peculiar Seyfert 2 Galaxy Mrk 477'' M. Kishimoto, L. E. Kay, R. Antonucci, T. Hurt, R. Cohen, and J. Krolik. ApJ, 567, 790, (2002)
``Ultraviolet Imaging Polarimetry of the Seyfert 2 Galaxy Markarian 3'' , M. Kishimoto, L. E. Kay, R. Antonucci, T. Hurt, R. Cohen, and J. Krolik. ApJ, 565, 155, (2002)
``A Composite Seyfert 2 X-Ray Spectrum: Implications for the Origin of the Cosmic X-ray Background'' , E. C. Moran, L. E. Kay, M. Davis, A. V. Filippenko, and A. J. Barth. ApJ, 556, L75, (2001).
``The Frequency of Polarized Broad Emission Lines in Type 2 Seyfert Galaxies'' , E. C. Moran, A. J. Barth, L. E. Kay, and A. V. Filippenko, ApJ, 540, L73, (2000).
``Spectropolarimetry of the Luminous Narrow-Line Seyfert Galaxies IRAS 20181-2244 and IRAS 13224-3809'', L. Kay, M. Magalhães, F. Elizalde, and C. Rodrigues, ApJ, 518, 219, (1999).
``Spectropolarimetry of Radio-Loud AGNs With Double Peaked Emission Lines'', L. Kay, M. Eracleous, E. Moran, M. Magalhães, and J. Halpern. in Structure and Kinematics of Quasar Broad Line Regions , ed. C. M. Gaskell et al, (SF:ASP), vol 175, (1999), 205-211.
``The X-ray Spectra and Spectral Variability of Intermediate Type Seyfert Galaxies: ASCA Observations of NGC 4388 and ESO 103-G35'', K. Forster, K. Leighly, and L. Kay. ApJ, 523, 521, (1999).
``A Hidden Broad-Line Region in the Weak Seyfert 2 Galaxy NGC 788'', L. Kay and E. Moran, PASP, 110, 1003 (1998)
``NGC 7582'', J. Halpern, L. Kay, and K. Leighly. IAUC, 7027 (1998)
``Supernova 1998bw in ESO 184-G82'', L. Kay, J. Halpern, K. Leighly, S. Heathcote, A. M. Magalhães, and A. Filippenko. IAUC, 6969 (1998)
``The Optical Polarization and Warm Absorber in IRAS 17020+4544'', K. Leighly, L. Kay, B. Wills, D. Wills, and D. Grupe. Ap. J. 489, L137 (1997)
``Blue Spectropolarimetry of Seyfert 2 Galaxies'', L. Kay, Ap. J., 430, 196 (1994).
``Detection of Obscured Broad Line Regions in Four Seyfert 2 Galaxies'', H.D. Tran, J.S. Miller, and L. Kay, Ap. J., 397, 452 (1992)