Abstract

The cycling of baryonic matter between gas phases and into / out of stellar systems is fundamental to our understanding of many astrophysical processes, from star and planet formation to galaxy evolution. Systematic surveys of some 100,000 star-forming regions across the local galaxy population have shown that the baryon cycle on ~10-100 pc scale is characterized by short timescales, low star formation efficiencies, and clear dependencies on larger-scale galaxy properties. Following a briefly summary of recent advances, I will describe several lines of ongoing research aimed at mapping the baryon cycle over a broader range of spatial scales. My research leverages current observing campaigns on ALMA, HST, JWST, and VLA to probe: (1) star cluster formation efficiency, feedback strength, and evolutionary timeline on ~parsec scales, (2) ISM structural evolution and phase transition on ~10-1000 pc scales, and (3) galaxy quenching by “environmental processes” operating on ~Mpc scales. These efforts will connect traditional Galactic studies and extragalactic surveys, bridging the gap between localized, highly resolved observations and large-scale, unresolved galaxy measurements across cosmic time.