Laura Watkins

I study the internal spatial and velocity distributions of small stellar systems to investigate their formation, evolution, and present state. I also use these systems as tracers of their hosts. I study the kinematics using proper motions from Hubble and Gaia, and use dynamical models to connect observations to underlying physics. I also work with simulated systems to test models and inform future observations. I'm especially interested in globular clusters and dwarf galaxies in the Local Group.