Senior Research Associate I

• Feb 2023 - Present

Graduate Research And Teaching Assistant in Physics

• Sep 2017 - Feb 2023

Solving problems in astrophysics often requires conjectures based on limited physical information. My work uses modern computational techniques to explore how information theory can be used to bypass these conjectures. I've published work using this technique to estimate parameters controlling the evolution of the universe using the cosmic microwave background, the earliest robust image available of the primordial universe. Currently, I am developing a method using information theory to… Show more Solving problems in astrophysics often requires conjectures based on limited physical information. My work uses modern computational techniques to explore how information theory can be used to bypass these conjectures. I've published work using this technique to estimate parameters controlling the evolution of the universe using the cosmic microwave background, the earliest robust image available of the primordial universe. Currently, I am developing a method using information theory to efficiently identify inhabited or habitable exoplanets. This work has been awarded the Guarini travel grant and AAS International travel grant and has been accepted for a presentation at the Planetary Science Informatics and Data Analytics conference in June 2022. I am also enthusiastic about science communication and education. I work as a teaching assistant, teaching primarily undergraduate labs. I have been awarded the Outstanding Graduate Student Teacher Award in 2018, the Selamawit Tsehaye Teaching Award in 2020 and was nominated for the Guarini teaching award. I volunteered as a mentor to high school students interested in science through Many Mentors and helped to develop and implement a hands-on science curriculum for middle school students through the Dartmouth Science Education Partnership. Show less Solving problems in astrophysics often requires conjectures based on limited physical information. My work uses modern computational techniques to explore how information theory can be used to bypass these conjectures. I've published work using this technique to estimate parameters controlling the evolution of the universe using the cosmic microwave background, the earliest robust image available of the primordial universe. Currently, I am developing a method using information theory to… Show more Solving problems in astrophysics often requires conjectures based on limited physical information. My work uses modern computational techniques to explore how information theory can be used to bypass these conjectures. I've published work using this technique to estimate parameters controlling the evolution of the universe using the cosmic microwave background, the earliest robust image available of the primordial universe. Currently, I am developing a method using information theory to efficiently identify inhabited or habitable exoplanets. This work has been awarded the Guarini travel grant and AAS International travel grant and has been accepted for a presentation at the Planetary Science Informatics and Data Analytics conference in June 2022. I am also enthusiastic about science communication and education. I work as a teaching assistant, teaching primarily undergraduate labs. I have been awarded the Outstanding Graduate Student Teacher Award in 2018, the Selamawit Tsehaye Teaching Award in 2020 and was nominated for the Guarini teaching award. I volunteered as a mentor to high school students interested in science through Many Mentors and helped to develop and implement a hands-on science curriculum for middle school students through the Dartmouth Science Education Partnership. Show less

Graduate Science Mentor

• Sep 2021 - May 2022

Developed publishable lesson plans for a hands-on science curriculum for middle school students using Arduinos and terraria. Met with middle school teachers, used feedback to adjust lessons to better fit rural students’ needs Developed publishable lesson plans for a hands-on science curriculum for middle school students using Arduinos and terraria. Met with middle school teachers, used feedback to adjust lessons to better fit rural students’ needs

Physics Department Grader

• Jan 2016 - May 2017

Graded and left feedback for introductory physics classes

Student Researcher

• Sep 2016 - Dec 2016

Data reduction using Python for spectra taken in recent trip to SOLEIL Synchrotron.

Student Researcher

• Jan 2016 - May 2016

Developed a code in Python to analyze carbon monoxide spectral data in the vacuum ultraviolet to compare to a controversial paper about self-shielding effects on opacity in carbon monoxide spectra.

Research Fellow

• May 2016 - Aug 2016

Developed Python routines to analyze absorption spectra of protoplanetary disks. Used analysis to determine the absorbing feature in several disks. This research was presented in a talk at the end of the summer program as well as an abstract for the Undergraduate Research Summer Institute (URSI) symposium at Vassar College, as well as talks at the Keck Northeast Astronomy Conference at Wesleyan University, the Tanner Conference at Wellesley College, the September Whitin Observatory public… Show more Developed Python routines to analyze absorption spectra of protoplanetary disks. Used analysis to determine the absorbing feature in several disks. This research was presented in a talk at the end of the summer program as well as an abstract for the Undergraduate Research Summer Institute (URSI) symposium at Vassar College, as well as talks at the Keck Northeast Astronomy Conference at Wesleyan University, the Tanner Conference at Wellesley College, the September Whitin Observatory public night at Wellesley College, and to the Wellesley chapter of the Society of Physics Students. This work was also presented as a poster at 229th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in January 2017. Show less Developed Python routines to analyze absorption spectra of protoplanetary disks. Used analysis to determine the absorbing feature in several disks. This research was presented in a talk at the end of the summer program as well as an abstract for the Undergraduate Research Summer Institute (URSI) symposium at Vassar College, as well as talks at the Keck Northeast Astronomy Conference at Wesleyan University, the Tanner Conference at Wellesley College, the September Whitin Observatory public… Show more Developed Python routines to analyze absorption spectra of protoplanetary disks. Used analysis to determine the absorbing feature in several disks. This research was presented in a talk at the end of the summer program as well as an abstract for the Undergraduate Research Summer Institute (URSI) symposium at Vassar College, as well as talks at the Keck Northeast Astronomy Conference at Wesleyan University, the Tanner Conference at Wellesley College, the September Whitin Observatory public night at Wellesley College, and to the Wellesley chapter of the Society of Physics Students. This work was also presented as a poster at 229th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in January 2017. Show less

Research Intern

• May 2015 - Jul 2015

Developed simplified simulation of mass transfer in double white dwarf systems. Simulation runs a series of differential equations describing evolution of parameters over time, and achieves much faster, but approximate, results than previously published simulations achieved. This research was presented in a talk and poster at the end of the summer program, as well as in a poster at the 227th meeting of the American Astronomical Society. Developed simplified simulation of mass transfer in double white dwarf systems. Simulation runs a series of differential equations describing evolution of parameters over time, and achieves much faster, but approximate, results than previously published simulations achieved. This research was presented in a talk and poster at the end of the summer program, as well as in a poster at the 227th meeting of the American Astronomical Society.