About Me
I am a Brinson Prize Fellow at the Princeton University Department of Astrophysical Sciences studying massive quiescent galaxies as a part of the SQuIGGLE, DESI, and UNCOVER surveys. My research focuses on understanding the physical mechanism that drives the shutdown of star formation in massive galaxies by placing constraints on the star formation histories, structures, and number densities of recently quenched systems. When I'm not doing science, I am usually attending concerts, playing guitar for my band, or watching football.
Education:
May 2019-Present: Ph.D Candidate in Physics, University of Pittsburgh
Aug. 2017-May 2019: M.S. in Physics, University of Pittsburgh
Aug. 2013-May 2017: B.S. in Physics and Astronomy, University of Arizona
Publications: ADS
Research
The Growth of the Quiescent Sequence with DESI Spectroscopy
Using early spectroscopy from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) Survey, I have quantified the growth of the red sequence due to rapid quenching by identifying post-starburst galaxies using their star formation histories. I have measured the number density of post-starburst galaxies out to z~1.3 as a function of their recent burst fraction and identified the largest sample of spectroscopically confirmed post-starburst galaxies at z>1.
Publication submitted to the Astrophysical Journal Letters
The Compact Structures of z~0.7 Post-Starburst Galaxies
Using deep Hyper-Sumprime Cam imaging, we characterize the mass-size relation for z~0.7 post-starburst galaxies and find that they are more compact than co-eval star-forming and quiescent galaxies.
Publication accepted in the Astrophysical Journal
Extended Post-Starburst Signatures in Massive z~0.6 Galaxies
Using GMOS IFU observations of galaxies in the SQuIGGLE survey, we observe extended H-delta absorption in our sample of massive galaxies at intermediate-redshift, indicating that the galaxies shut off their star formation simultaneously at all radii.
Publication accepted in the Astrophysical Journal
Poster from Aspen Workshop: Galaxy Quenching and Transformation Throughout Cosmic Time
Teaching/Outreach
Teaching:
Spring 2018
Teaching Assistant, ASTRON 0089 Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmos
Received Myron P. Garfunkel Excellence in Graduate Student Teaching Award
Fall 2017
Teaching Assistant, ASTRON 0088 Stonehenge to Hubble
Teaching Assistant, ASTRON 0077 Basics of Spaceflight
Outreach:
Astronomy on Tap Pittsburgh Speaker
"The Puzzling Counter Intuitiveness of Special Relativity"
Volunteer Tutor at Taylor Alderdice High School
Contact
Email:
davidsetton@princeton.edu
Address:
4 Ivy Lane
Office 215
Princeton, NJ 08540