Pauline Barmby

Pauline Barmby is a Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at Western University's Faculty of Science. She is an observational astrophysicist specializing in stars and star formation in nearby galaxies. Barmby joined Western University in 2007 after serving as a staff scientist at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, where she worked on the Spitzer Space Telescope's IRAC camera. She is also a Western Space Investigator and has made significant contributions to Canadian astronomy through her role as co-chair of the panel that developed the Canadian Astronomical Society's 2020 Long Range Plan.

Professor Barmby's research focuses on understanding how stars, gas, dust, dark matter, and black holes in galaxies fit together. Her work involves developing new tools and techniques to combine data from ground-and space-based telescopes. Her primary research domains include Planetary Science & Astronomy, with specific interests in Galactic and Stellar Processes and Big Data analytics. Barmby's approach integrates multi-wavelength observations with advanced data analysis methods to study galaxy formation and evolution. She has pioneered techniques for combining data from Gaia, NED, and SIMBAD to create comprehensive views of galactic structures.

An analysis of Barmby's recent publications reveals a strong focus on nearby galaxy surveys, particularly using data from missions like Gaia, Spitzer, and upcoming facilities like the Rubin Observatory and SKA. Her work often involves combining multiple data sources to create comprehensive galactic maps. There's a clear trend toward using machine learning techniques for galactic component mapping and source classification, reflecting her interest in Big Data analytics. Her research spans observational astronomy, astrostatistics, and data-intensive science, with particular attention to low surface brightness galaxies and spiral structures like UGC 2885.

Among her notable achievements, Professor Barmby served as co-chair of the panel that developed the Canadian Astronomical Society's 2020 Long Range Plan, a significant contribution to shaping the future of Canadian astronomy. Her work has also influenced policy, as evidenced by her contribution to the "Report on Mega-Constellations to the Government of Canada and the Canadian Space Agency" (2021). She has been instrumental in major projects like TONGS (Treasury of Nearby Galaxy Surveys) and JINGLE (JCMT Legacy Survey).

While specific details about her advising activities aren't provided in the source material, Professor Barmby's leadership role in developing Canada's astronomy roadmap suggests substantial involvement in mentoring and research supervision. Her work with major telescopes and space missions indicates she likely leads significant research collaborations and grant-funded projects focused on galaxy evolution and observational techniques.

Professor Barmby's research involves collaborative teams working on large-scale galaxy surveys. Her focus on data integration across multiple wavelengths suggests her team develops specialized software tools for astronomical data analysis, particularly for handling the "Big Data" challenges inherent in modern observational astronomy. She maintains active involvement with major observational facilities including the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT), Spitzer Space Telescope legacy data, and future missions like the Roman Space Telescope and SKA.