Ashley Lieber

Ashley Lieber is a 2023-2027 Self Graduate Fellow pursuing a Ph.D. in physics at the University of Kansas. While originally from Wichita, KS, she holds a B.S. in physics with a concentration in astronomy along with minors in mathematics and STEM education. She received this degree with summa cum laude honors from the University of Arkansas in 2022. While her research work has always focused on observational astrophysics, she recently made the transition from studying exoplanets and stellar astrophysics to studying the behavior of nearby galaxies. More specifically, she studies the nearby starburst galaxy, NGC 253, to better understand the nature of gas in this extreme environment to determine the relationship between various gas properties and the presence of a starburst galactic environment (high rate of star formation). These results will then be compared to analogous studies being conducted at KU on our home galaxy, the Milky Way. Ashley is passionate about deepening our understanding of the universe around us while also making it exciting and accessible to the public at large, and she works to blend these passions in every project she takes on. 

Mentor:  Elisabeth Mills, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Physics and Astronomy