Research Interests

I am interested in understanding ISM physics, galaxy formation and evolution. I have also worked on the detailed study of the star formation history and gas content of void galaxies. My current projects study the physics of the ISM in nearby galaxies on physically resolved (<50pc) scales using optical IFU observations.

Much of my work is carried out within the PHANGS collaboration. As survey scientist, I am also involved in planning an optical IFU survey of the local group, the Local Volume Mapper (LVM), part of SDSS-V.

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Research Group

To understand galaxies, we must understand the physical processes and local conditions that drive their buildup of stellar mass through star formation. This evolution is regulated through the baryon cycle, the transformation of gas into stars and eventual ejection and recycling of that material to form the next generation of stars. Meet the researchers who are leading these efforts.

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CV

After completing my PhD at Columbia University in NYC, I have spent time as a postdoctoral researcher in Heidelberg at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy. Since 2019 I have led a DFG funded Emmy Noether research group at Heidelberg University. In 2023 I began my ERC Starting Grant project: ISM-METALS.

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In the News

Recent news and press releases

A solution to the long-standing abundance discrepancy problem published in Nature

A new paper led by Dr. Méndez-Delgado identifies unresolved temperature variations in highly ionized gas as the cuprit (May 2023)

Press releasefull article

Webb telescope finds pieces of the star formation puzzle

A special focus issue of The Astrophysical Journal Letters highlights PHANGS-JWST results (February 2023)

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Capturing All That Glitters in Galaxies with NASA’s Webb

JWST and NASA press release (January 2022)

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Galactic fireworks

New ESO images reveal stunning features of nearby galaxies (July 2021)

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