Margaret M. Hanson,
Associate Professor of Physics from the University of Cincinnati.

Super Massive Star Clusters in our own Milky Way

It is far more difficult to map out the massive star content of our own Milky Way Galaxy than any other galaxy in the Local Group. Distance uncertainties have driven massive star astronomers to concentrate their studies far from home. Consequently, little is known about massive stars and massive super star clusters which may be lurking in the Milky Way's disk. Recent results indicate we may be missing far more than we realized.

• Ph.D. University of Colorado, 1995 in Astrophysics.
  
  
• Member of The American Association of University Women, a national organization that promotes education and equity for all women and girls.
  
• Helped develop the University of Cincinnati's new Bachelor of Science in Physics in astrophysics, the study of the structure and evolution of the universe. According to Hanson the department has seen an increase in students interested in astronomy and astrophysics spurred by the recent success of astronomical projects like the Hubble space telescope. Hanson said the new area satisfies two groups of students: those that are just gung-ho on astronomy and want to learn more, and others that are preparing for graduate school and a career in astrophysics.
  
  
• Research Interests Include: High-mass star formation, star formation at the Galactic Center, nuclear starbursts in other galaxies, and high mass X-Ray binaries, to name a few.

• She has recently completed a near-infrared imaging and spectroscopic survey aimed at locating very rare, extremely young, massive stars, still deeply embedded in the molecular cloud (Astrophysical Journal 2002). Another major scientific effort includes her work on massive X-ray binary systems.

Visit her research web site at UC Physics.