I am a radio astronomer whose research explores how stars form from dense gas in molecular clouds. I study this in our home galaxy, the Milky Way, as well as in nearby (z<0.3) galaxies. My thesis work specifically focused on galaxies with more-extreme environments, such as mergers, Ultra-Luminous Infrared Galaxies, and galaxy centers. Studying the unique environments within these galaxies will put constraints on the role that internal environments within galaxies have in regulating the process of local star formation.