arXiv subjects

Jessica L. Rosenberg

Publications and source records attributed to Jessica L. Rosenberg.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Defining a physics person: Tensions in the identity development of undergraduate women in physics

This qualitative study explores how undergraduate women define what it means to be a physics person alongside how they describe their own physics identity. Our team analyzed 120 survey responses (97%, or 116 of the 120 respondents, identified as women or non-binary) to understand what factors are associated with an individual's physics identity. Those surveyed were attendees of Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics, who attended 88 unique institutions in 30 states. Our participants' conceptions of what it means to be a physics person fell into two themes: (1) people who are skilled academically and in research and (2) those who have an interest in physics ranging from an enjoyable interest to a life-devoting passion for the subject. When asked to explain their own physics identities, students responded through a personal and social lens more frequently than through an academic lens. Our analysis revealed three tensions in the development of undergraduate women's physics identity: (1) the tension between identifying entirely as a physics person and having other identities that are important to who they are, (2) the tension between the need for belonging in the physics community and their view of themselves as a physics person, and (3) the tension between their expectations of a physics person and their beliefs about their own abilities or interest.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2025

Why Teach Quantum?: Elementary Teachers Initial Beliefs about Quantum

This paper examines the initial beliefs held by elementary educators (n=11) and their students about teaching and learning quantum concepts at the elementary level. All teachers were participants in a grant-funded project focused on developing teachers' quantum content knowledge and creating curricular resources to use in elementary classrooms. Although elementary teachers had limited knowledge of quantum at the beginning of the project, they expressed excitement and a belief that learning quantum would create future possibilities for their students.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2025

Building Student Understanding of Quantum Information Science and Engineering through Projects on Applications to Medical Technologies

Medical technologies, including quantum machine learning (QML) and quantum sensing, represent transformative tools for addressing some of the most pressing challenges in healthcare and drug discovery today. We discuss the ways that these topics engage the interest of high-school, undergraduate, and graduate students in understanding quantum information science and engineering. We describe how students built their understanding of these areas through a research project that allowed them to gain an understanding of the technology, its limitations, and the associated ethical considerations. We also consider the challenges of building this kind of work into the curriculum and of bringing students with interests in the biological and medical areas into quantum science and engineering.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2024

Outcomes from a Workshop on a National Center for Quantum Education

In response to numerous programs seeking to advance quantum education and workforce development in the United States, experts from academia, industry, government, and professional societies convened for a National Science Foundation-sponsored workshop in February 2024 to explore the benefits and challenges of establishing a national center for quantum education. Broadly, such a center would foster collaboration and build the infrastructure required to develop a diverse and quantum-ready workforce. The workshop discussions centered around how a center could uniquely address gaps in public, K-12, and undergraduate quantum information science and engineering (QISE) education. Specifically, the community identified activities that, through a center, could lead to an increase in student awareness of quantum careers, boost the number of educators trained in quantum-related subjects, strengthen pathways into quantum careers, enhance the understanding of the U.S. quantum workforce, and elevate public engagement with QISE. Core proposed activities for the center include professional development for educators, coordinated curriculum development and curation, expanded access to educational laboratory equipment, robust evaluation and assessment practices, network building, and enhanced public engagement with quantum science.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2024

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Undergraduates' Knowledge and Interest in Quantum Careers: Barriers and Opportunities to Building a Diverse Quantum Workforce

Efforts to build the workforce in support of the second quantum revolution are growing, including the creation of education programs that will prepare students for jobs in this area. We surveyed 186 undergraduate students with majors across the STEM disciplines and followed up with group interviews to understand their perspectives. The project was designed to understand what these STEM students know about quantum and quantum career opportunities and their level of interest in pursuing a career related to quantum. We found that most of the students know very little about quantum. Nevertheless, except for students in the life sciences, there was an interest in quantum careers. Across STEM majors, women were less likely to express interest in quantum careers than men, but this difference disappeared when we examined only physical and computer science majors. Of the few students who had knowledge of quantum concepts, most learned about this topic from online media, especially online videos. Some students reported learning about quantum in high school classes, where it was taught as an extension beyond the usual topics of the course. The undergraduate STEM students in our study identified multiple ways they would like to learn more about quantum, including short videos, seminars, courses, certificates, and degree programs.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2024

Quantum Science and Technologies in K-12: Supporting Teachers to Integrate Quantum in STEM Classrooms

Quantum science and computing represent a vital intersection between science and technology, gaining increasing importance in modern society. There is a pressing need to incorporate these concepts into the K-12 curriculum, equipping new generations with the tools to navigate and thrive in an evolving technological landscape. This study explores the professional learning of K-12 teachers (n = 49) related to quantum concepts and pedagogy. We used open-ended surveys, field notes, workshop artifacts, and interviews to examine teachers' perceptions of quantum and how they made connections between quantum and their curriculum. Our data reveal that most teachers were excited and interested in teaching quantum but were aware of potential barriers and concerns that might get in the way of teaching quantum. We found that teachers readily identified connections to math and science in their curriculum, but only a few made connections to computing. Enthusiasm for teaching quantum concepts was found in both elementary and secondary educators, suggesting a widespread recognition of its importance in preparing students for a future where quantum technology is a fundamental aspect of their lives and careers.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2024

Role of Mentorship, Career Conceptualization, and Leadership in Developing Women's Physics Identity and Belonging

The percentage of women receiving bachelors degrees in physics in the U.S. lags well behind that of men, and women leave the major at higher rates. Achieving equity in physics will mean that women stay in physics at the same rates as men, but this will require changes in the culture and support structures. A strong sense of belonging can lead to higher retention rates so interventions meant to increase dimensions of physics identity (interest, recognition, performance, and competence) may increase persistence overall and increase women's retention differentially. We describe our model in which mentorship, an understanding of career options (career conceptualization), and leadership are inputs into the development of these dimensions of physics identity. This paper includes preliminary results from a qualitative study that aims to better understand how career conceptualization, leadership, and mentorship contribute to the development of physics identity and belonging. We report results from a survey of 15 undergraduate physics students which was followed up by interviews with 5 of those students. The students were from a small private liberal arts college in the midwest region of the U.S. and a large public university in the southeast region of the U.S. classified as a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI). With respect to mentorship, we found that it could provide critical support for students' engagement in the physics community. Leadership experiences have not previously been positioned as an important input into identity, yet we found that they helped women in physics feel more confident, contributing to their recognition of themselves as physics people. While the data on how career conceptualization contributed to the building of identity is limited, there are some connections to recognition and competence, and it will be an interesting avenue of future exploration.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2020

Achieving a quantum smart workforce

Interest in building dedicated Quantum Information Science and Engineering (QISE) education programs has greatly expanded in recent years. These programs are inherently convergent, complex, often resource intensive and likely require collaboration with a broad variety of stakeholders. In order to address this combination of challenges, we have captured ideas from many members in the community. This manuscript not only addresses policy makers and funding agencies (both public and private and from the regional to the international level) but also contains needs identified by industry leaders and discusses the difficulties inherent in creating an inclusive QISE curriculum. We report on the status of eighteen post-secondary education programs in QISE and provide guidance for building new programs. Lastly, we encourage the development of a comprehensive strategic plan for quantum education and workforce development as a means to make the most of the ongoing substantial investments being made in QISE.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2019

The Arecibo L-band Feed Array Zone of Avoidance (ALFAZOA) Shallow Survey

The Arecibo L-band Feed Array Zone of Avoidance (ALFAZOA) Shallow Survey is a blind HI survey of the extragalactic sky behind the northern Milky Way conducted with the ALFA receiver on the 305m Arecibo Radio Telescope. ALFAZOA Shallow covered 900 square degrees at full sensitivity from 30° ${\leq} l {\leq} $75° and |b|$ {\leq}$ 10° and an additional 460 square degrees at limited sensitivity at latitudes up to 20°. It has an rms sensitivity of 5-7 mJy and a velocity resolution of 9 - 20.6 km s$^{-1}$, and detected 403 galaxies out to a recessional velocity of 12,000 km s$^{-1}$, with an angular resolution of 3.4' and a positional accuracy between 0.2' and 1.7'. The survey is complete above an integrated line flux $F_{HI}$ = 2.0 Jy km s$^{-1}$ for half the survey, and above $F_{HI}$ = 2.8 Jy km s$^{-1}$ for the other half. Forty-three percent of the ALFAZOA HI detections have at least one possible optical/NIR counterpart in the literature, and an additional 16% have counterparts that only included previous HI measurements. There are fewer counterparts in regions of high extinction and for galaxies with lower HI mass. Comparing the results of the survey to the predictions of Erdogdu et al. (2006), and using their nomenclature, ALFAZOA confirms the position and extent in the ZOA of the C7, C$ζ$, Pegasus, Corona Borealis and Delphinus structures, but not of the Cygnus void. Two new structures are identified, both connected to the C7 overdensity; one extends to 35°, and the other crosses the ZOA.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2016

Constraining the Stellar Populations and Star Formation Histories of Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies with SED Fits

We discuss and test possible evolutionary connections between Blue Compact Dwarf galaxies (BCDs) and other types of dwarf galaxies. BCDs provide ideal laboratories to study intense star formation episodes in low mass dwarf galaxies, and have sometimes been considered a short-lived evolutionary stage between types of dwarf galaxies. To test these connections, we consider a sample of BCDs as well as a comparison sample of nearby galaxies from the Local Volume Legacy (LVL) survey for context. We fit the multi-wavelength spectral energy distributions (SED, far-ultra-violet to far-infrared) of each galaxy with a grid of theoretical models to determine their stellar masses and star formation properties. We compare our results for BCDs with the LVL galaxies to put BCDs in the context of normal galaxy evolution. The SED fits demonstrate that the star formation events currently underway in BCDs are at the extreme of the continuum of normal dwarf galaxies, both in terms of the relative mass involved and in the relative increase over previous star formation rates. Today's BCDs are distinctive objects in a state of extreme star formation which is rapidly transforming them. This study also suggests ways to identify former BCDs whose star formation episodes have since faded.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2016

The Luminosity and Stellar Mass Functions of Red W1-W2 Galaxies

We present a study of nearby galaxies as a function of their [3.4]-[4.6] colour. Galaxies that are red in their [3.4]-[4.6] colour contain heated dust and the reddest systems ([3.4]-[4.6] > 0.5) are classified as AGN by some selection criteria. The sample discussed here includes nearby galaxies selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) that are also in the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) catalogue. We calculate the number density of galaxies, in the form of the luminosity and mass functions, using the V/Vmax method and a Stepwise Maximum Likelihood method that has been modified to account for the additional colour selection. The reddest galaxies which have [3.4]-[4.6] > 0.8 and are sometimes classified as AGN by their colour, make up 0.2% of nearby galaxies. However, the reddest galaxies are a rising fraction of the low mass galaxy population. Identifying the lowest mass (M < 10$^{8}$ M$_{\odot}$ ) red ([3.4]-[4.6] > 0.8) galaxies as AGN is surprising given that none are optical AGN or composites, in contrast with their more massive (M > 10$^{10}$ M$_{\odot}$ ) red galaxy counter- parts that are dominated by optical AGN and composites (86.4%). We also show that these low mass red galaxies are associated with higher specific star formation rates than their bluer counterparts. While the properties of this relatively rare segment of nearby low-mass galaxies are intriguing, particularly if they are associated with AGN activity, there is not yet enough evidence to determine whether it is AGN or unusual star formation that is driving red colours in these systems.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2015

The Effect of Halo Mass on the HI Content of Galaxies in Groups and Clusters

We combine data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and the Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA Survey (ALFALFA) to study the cold atomic gas content of galaxies in groups and clusters in local universe. A careful cross-matching of galaxies in the SDSS, ALFALFA and SDSS group catalogs provides a sample of group galaxies with stellar masses $10^{8.4} M_{\odot} \le M_{*} \le 10^{10.6} M_{\odot}$ and group halo masses $10^{12.5} h^{-1} M_{\odot} \le M_h \le 10^{15.0} h^{-1} M_{\odot}$. Controlling our sample in stellar mass and redshift, we find no significant radial variation in the galaxy \hi\ gas-to-stellar mass ratio for the halo mass range in our sample. However, the fraction of galaxies detected in ALFALFA declines steadily towards the centers of groups with the effect being most prominent in the most massive halos. In the outskirts of massive halos a hint of a depressed detection fraction for low mass galaxies suggests pre-processing that decreases the \hi\ in these galaxies before they fall into massive clusters. We interpret the decline in the ALFALFA detection of galaxies in the context of a threshold halo mass for ram pressure stripping for a given galaxy stellar mass. The lack of an observable decrease in the galaxy \hi\ gas-to-stellar mass ratio with the position of galaxies within groups and clusters highlights the difficulty of detecting the impact of environment on the galaxy \hi\ content in a shallow \hi\ survey.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2015

Galaxy Pairs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey - X: Does gas content alter star formation rate enhancement in galaxy interactions?

New spectral line observations, obtained with the Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), of a sample of 34 galaxies in 17 close pairs are presented in this paper. The sample of galaxy pairs is selected to contain galaxies in close, major interactions (i.e., projected separations $<$30 kpc/h, and mass ratios less extreme than 4:1), while still having a sufficiently large angular separation that the VLA can spatially resolve both galaxies in the pair. Of the 34 galaxies, 17 are detected at $> 3σ$. We compare the HI gas fraction of the galaxies with the triggered star formation present in that galaxy. When compared to the star formation rates (SFRs) of non-pair galaxies matched in mass, redshift, and local environment, we find that the star formation enhancement is weakly positively correlated ($\sim 2.5σ$) with HI gas fraction. In order to help understand the physical mechanisms driving this weak correlation, we also present results from a small suite of binary galaxy merger simulations with varying gas fractions. The simulated galaxies indicate that larger initial gas fractions are associated with lower levels of interaction-triggered star formation (relative to an identical galaxy in isolation), but also show that high gas fraction galaxies have higher absolute SFRs prior to an interaction. We show that when interaction-driven SFR enhancements are calculated relative to a galaxy with an average gas fraction for its stellar mass, the relationship between SFR and initial gas fraction dominates over the SFR enhancements driven by the interaction. Simulated galaxy interactions that are matched in stellar mass but not in gas fraction, like our VLA sample, yield the same general positive correlation between SFR enhancement and gas fraction that we observe.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2015

The neutral gas content of post-merger galaxies

Measurements of the neutral hydrogen gas content of a sample of 93 post-merger galaxies are presented, from a combination of matches to the ALFALFA.40 data release and new Arecibo observations. By imposing completeness thresholds identical to that of the ALFALFA survey, and by compiling a mass-, redshift- and environment-matched control sample from the public ALFALFA.40 data release, we calculate gas fraction offsets (Delta f_gas) for the post-mergers, relative to the control sample. We find that the post-mergers have HI gas fractions that are consistent with undisturbed galaxies. However, due to the relative gas richness of the ALFALFA.40 sample, from which we draw our control sample, our measurements of gas fraction enhancements are likely to be conservative lower limits. Combined with comparable gas fraction measurements by Fertig et al. in a sample of galaxy pairs, who also determine gas fraction offsets consistent with zero, we conclude that there is no evidence for significant neutral gas consumption throughout the merger sequence. From a suite of 75 binary merger simulations we confirm that star formation is expected to decrease the post-merger gas fraction by only 0.06 dex, even several Gyr after the merger. Moreover, in addition to the lack of evidence for gas consumption from gas fraction offsets, the observed HI detection fraction in the complete sample of post-mergers is twice as high as the controls, which suggests that the post-merger gas fractions may actually be enhanced. We demonstrate that a gas fraction enhancement in post-mergers, relative to a stellar mass-matched control sample, would indeed be the natural result of merging randomly drawn pairs from a parent population which exhibits a declining gas fraction with increasing stellar mass.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2014

Comparing Infrared Star-Formation Rate Indicators with Optically-Derived Quantities

We examine the UV reprocessing efficiencies of warm dust and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) through an analysis of the mid- and far-infrared surface luminosity densities of 85 nearby H$α$-selected star-forming galaxies detected by the volume-limited KPNO International Spectroscopic Survey (KISS). Because H$α$ selection is not biased toward continuum-bright objects, the KISS sample spans a wide range in stellar masses ($10^8$-$10^{12}\rm{M}_\odot$), as well as H$α$ luminosity ($10^{39}$-$10^{43}\rm{ergs/s}$), mid-infrared 8.0$μ$m luminosity ($10^{41}$-$10^{44}\rm{ergs/s}$), and [Bw-R] color (-.1-2.2). We find that mid-infrared polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission in the Spitzer IRAC 8.0$μ$m band correlates with star formation, and that the efficiency with which galaxies reprocess UV energy into PAH emission depends on metallicity. We also find that the relationship between far-infrared luminosity in the Spitzer MIPS 24$μ$m band pass and H$α$-measured star-formation rate varies from galaxy to galaxy within our sample; we do not observe a metallicity dependence in this relationship. We use optical colors and established mass-to-light relationships to determine stellar masses for the KISS galaxies; we compare these masses to those of nearby galaxies as a confirmation that the volume-limited nature of KISS avoids strong biases. We also examine the relationship between IRAC 3.6$μ$m luminosity and galaxy stellar mass, and find a color-dependent correlation between the two.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2014

Discovery of a Gas-Rich Companion to the Extremely Metal-Poor Galaxy DDO 68

We present HI spectral-line imaging of the extremely metal-poor galaxy DDO 68. This system has a nebular oxygen abundance of only 3% Z$_{\odot}$, making it one of the most metal-deficient galaxies known in the local volume. Surprisingly, DDO 68 is a relatively massive and luminous galaxy for its metal content, making it a significant outlier in the mass-metallicity and luminosity-metallicity relationships. The origin of such a low oxygen abundance in DDO 68 presents a challenge for models of the chemical evolution of galaxies. One possible solution to this problem is the infall of pristine neutral gas, potentially initiated during a gravitational interaction. Using archival HI spectral-line imaging obtained with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, we have discovered a previously unknown companion of DDO 68. This low-mass (M$_{\rm HI}$ $=$ 2.8$\times$10$^{7}$ M$_{\odot}$), recently star-forming (SFR$_{\rm FUV}$ $=$ 1.4$\times$10$^{-3}$ M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$, SFR$_{\rm Hα}$ $<$ 7$\times$10$^{-5}$ M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$) companion has the same systemic velocity as DDO 68 (V$_{\rm sys}$ $=$ 506 km s$^{-1}$; D $=$ 12.74$\pm$0.27 Mpc) and is located at a projected distance of 42 kpc. New HI maps obtained with the 100m Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope provide evidence that DDO 68 and this companion are gravitationally interacting at the present time. Low surface brightness HI gas forms a bridge between these objects.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2014

Discovery of a Population of Bulgeless Galaxies with Extremely Red Mid-IR Colors: Obscured AGN Activity in the Low Mass Regime?

In contrast to massive, bulge hosting galaxies, very few supermassive black holes (SMBHs) are known in either low mass, or bulgeless galaxies. Such a population could provide clues to the origins of SMBHs and to secular pathways for their growth. Using the all-sky Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) survey, and bulge-to-disk decompositions from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 7, we report the discovery of a population of local (z<0.3) bulgeless disk galaxies with extremely red mid-infrared colors highly suggestive of a dominant active galactic nucleus (AGN), despite having no optical AGN signatures in their SDSS spectra. Using various mid-infrared selection criteria from the literature, there are between 30 to over 300 bulgeless galaxies with possible AGNs. Other known scenarios that can heat the dust to high temperatures do not appear to explain the observed colors of this sample. If these galaxies are confirmed to host AGNs, this study will provide a breakthrough in characterizing the properties of SMBHs in the low bulge mass regime and in understanding their relation with their host galaxies. Mid-infrared selection identifies AGNs that dominate their host galaxy's emission and therefore reveal a different AGN population than is uncovered by optical studies. We find that the fraction of all galaxies identified as candidate AGNs by WISE is highest at lower stellar masses and drops dramatically in higher mass galaxies, in striking contrast to the findings from optical studies.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2013

HST/COS Spectra of Three QSOs That Probe The Circumgalactic Medium of a Single Spiral Galaxy: Evidence for Gas Recycling and Outflow

We have used the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) to obtain far-UV spectra of three closely-spaced QSO sight lines that probe the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of an edge-on spiral galaxy, ESO 157-49, at impact parameters of 74 and 93 kpc near its major axis and 172 kpc along its minor axis. H I Lyα absorption is detected at the galaxy redshift in the spectra of all three QSOs, and metal lines of Si III, Si IV, and C IV are detected along the two major-axis sight lines. Photoionization models of these clouds suggest metallicities close to the galaxy metallicity, cloud sizes of ~1 kpc, and gas masses of ~10^4 solar masses. Given the high covering factor of these clouds, ESO 157-49 could harbor ~2x10^9 solar masses of warm CGM gas. We detect no metals in the sight line that probes the galaxy along its minor axis, but gas at the galaxy metallicity would not have detectable metal absorption with ionization conditions similar to the major-axis clouds. The kinematics of the major-axis clouds favor these being portions of a "galactic fountain" of recycled gas, while two of the three minor-axis clouds are constrained geometrically to be outflowing gas. In addition, one of our QSO sight lines probes a second more distant spiral, ESO 157-50, along its major axis at an impact parameter of 88 kpc. Strong H I Lyα and C IV absorption only are detected in the QSO spectrum at the redshift of ESO 157-50.

astro-ph.CO↗