Christina C. Williams

Christina C. Williams is an Assistant Research Professor and Assistant Astronomer at the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory. She is a member of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) NIRCam instrument and science teams. Her research focuses on galaxy evolution in the early Universe, particularly massive galaxies that cease star formation. After joining UA in 2014, she held postdoctoral fellowships, including the NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship. She earned her PhD in Astronomy from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and has a background in Arctic geophysics. Her work uses multi-wavelength observations from facilities like ALMA and JWST to study galactic quenching mechanisms and formation processes.

Key research interests include molecular gas dynamics in quiescent galaxies, environmental effects on star formation, and the use of gravitational lensing to study distant galaxies. Her invited talks span institutions like Harvard, Yale, and international workshops. Recent publications analyze molecular gas reservoirs in galaxy clusters and the role of inflowing gas in quenching star formation.

Williams leads JWST Cycle 1 surveys as Principal Investigator, advancing observational cosmology. Her work bridges submillimeter and infrared astronomy, with a focus on understanding the earliest stages of galaxy evolution.