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Jessica Werk studies the extended gaseous components galaxies play in galaxy formation and evolution. She is primarily an observational astronomer with expertise in optical and ultraviolet spectroscopy, utilizing both ground-based and space-based telescopes for her research. Werk collaborates closely with theorists to define observational constraints for cosmological simulations, including those generated by the UW N-body shop, and she physically interprets her own observations. Her current research focuses on the 'invisible' ionized gas in galaxies, specifically in largely unexplored regimes such as dark-matter halos and disk-halo interfaces. Ultimately, she aims to understand the complex galactic ecosystems and the baryonic cycle of physical phases over hundreds of kiloparsecs and within the interiors of stars and the intergalactic medium. Outside of astronomy, she enjoys strenuous hikes in tall mountains, playing duplicate bridge, and singing Puccini arias with her dog.
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