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One of my primary interests is the study of the physical properties of molecular clouds within the Milky Way. The molecular gas can be readily probed using millimeter and submillimeter wavelength spectroscopy. These data provide information on the mass, density, temperature, spatial structure, and dynamics of the gas within these clouds. Much of my observational work is done using either the Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory 14-m telescope located near Campus or the Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite launched Dec. 5, 1998. Of particular interest are the properties of Giant Molecular Clouds, which are the sites of massive star formation in our Galaxy. In the figure below, is shown the FCRAO CO Survey of the Outer Galaxy; this survey has mapped out the distribution of molecular gas in a 300 square degree region. This image does not show the wealth of detail in the survey data; a expanded view of part of the survey is shown below. This survey has revealed the structure of the molecular interstellar medium with unprecedented resolution.

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