Dawn Erb

Professor
Leonard E Parker Center for Gravitation, Cosmology and Astrophysics
Department of Physics & Astronomy
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

My research group studies galaxies and the circumgalactic medium, with particular focus on low mass, low metallicity galaxies and the early stages of galaxy evolution. We conduct observations of the kinematics, chemical evolution and stellar populations of galaxies at (mostly) high redshifts, and of interactions between galaxies and their surrounding gas.

I teach astronomy, cosmology, and introductory astrobiology, and give frequent presentations about astronomy and life in the universe. Send me a message if you're interested!

Selected Publications:

"Gas Accretion Traced by Blue-dominated Lyα Emission and Redshifted UV Absorption Lines in Protocluster Galaxies at z = 2.3 from the KBSS-KCWI Survey" Bolda, C., Li, Z., Erb, D. K., Steidel, C. C., Chen, Y. 2025, The Astrophysical Journal, 982, 54

"A Comprehensive Metallicity Analysis of J0332−3557: Establishing a z ∼ 4 Anchor for Direct Gas Metallicity and C/O Abundance Investigations" Citro, A., Berg, D. A., Erb, D. K., Auger, M. W., Becker, G. D., James, B. L., Skillman, E. D. 2024, The Astrophysical Journal, 969, 148

"The Circumgalactic Medium of Extreme Emission Line Galaxies at z∼2: Resolved Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer Modeling of Spatially Extended Lyα Emission in the KBSS-KCWI Survey" Erb, D. K., Li, Z., Steidel, C. C., Chen, Y., Gronke, M., Strom, A. L., Trainor, R. F., Rudie, G. C. 2023, The Astrophysical Journal, 953, 118

"SDSS J1059+4251, a Highly Magnified z 2.8 Star-forming Galaxy: ESI Observations of the Rest-frame UV Spectrum" Citro, A., Erb, D. K., Pettini, M., Auger, M. W., Becker, G. D., James, B. L. 2021, The Astrophysical Journal, 922, 187

"Connecting Galactic Outflows and Star Formation: Inferences from Hα Maps and Absorption-line Spectroscopy at 1 ≲ z ≲ 1.5" Prusinski, N. Z., Erb, D. K., Martin, C. L. 2021, The Astronomical Journal, 161, 212

"A Window on the Earliest Star Formation: Extreme Photoionization Conditions of a High-ionization, Low-metallicity Lensed Galaxy at z ∼ 2*" Berg, D. A., Erb, D. K., Auger, M. W., Pettini, M., Brammer, G. B. 2018, The Astrophysical Journal, 859, 164

"Feedback in low-mass galaxies in the early Universe" Erb, D. K. 2015, Nature, 523, 169