Dr. Basu-Zych is a staff scientist with the High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC) and a research scientist with the X-ray Astrophysics Laboratory.
As a staff scientist with HEASARC, Dr. Basu-Zych leads the ingest of database tables into the HEASARC's Browse and Xamin systems, monitors the HEASARC usage statistics, and maintains various HEASARC web pages. In addition, she supports the activities of the NASA Astronomical Virtual Observatory (NAVO).
Dr. Basu-Zych's research interest and expertise involves multi-wavelength studies of starburst galaxies over the history of the Universe to understand the conditions within and surrounding these galaxies. Specifically, this research targets local analogs of Lyman break galaxies, a key population of high-redshift galaxies, to explore the evolution of galaxy properties in ultraviolet-selected (actively star-forming, dust- and metal-poor) galaxies as compared to other local star-forming galaxies (with lower SFRs) and infrared-selected galaxies (with similarly high SFRs, but with signficantly higher dust content) over cosmic time.
Within the topic of galaxy evolution, Dr. Basu-Zych's interests include investigating: star formation histories using multi-wavelength diagnostics and approaches; X-ray binary formation and evolution; close pair systems, where the galaxy environment is conducive to interacting and merging galaxies; dust and metallicity properties; HI gas content and the role of gas in star formation efficiency; galaxy kinematics and dynamics and relation to galaxy feedback.