About Me
Education Specialist
For the past few years, I have invested my time between three passions: research, science communication, and advocacy. As an active participant in community engagement initiatives throughout Seattle, and now New Mexico, I am passionate about interacting with the public through storytelling and developing inclusive, welcoming programs.
Education
University of Washington-Seattle
MSc and PhD in Astronomy · 2021-2025
Awards and Fellowships
Seattle Chapter ARCS Foundation Fellowship ·
University of Washington Astronomy Department Outreach Award
University of Dallas
BS in Physics · 2017-2021
Awards and Fellowships
Monostori Scholar Award ·
AUI Board of Trustees NAC Bridge Scholarship ·
University of Dallas Trustee Scholarship ·
University of Dallas Department of Physics Scholarship
Professional & Mentor Experience
Education Specialist
NRAO
Developed and implemented formal education, informal education, and professional development programs related to astronomy and radio astronomy for K-12 teachers and students.
Student Visit Coordinator
UW-Seattle
Supported department staff in strategizing 2024 Astronomy Prospective Graduate Student Visit. Facilitated internal and external communications, coordinated schedules, arranged catered meals, etc.
Research Assistant
UW-Seattle
Spearheaded the spectroscopic analysis for 2 Hubble Space Telescope Proposals. Published 2 first author papers in Astrophysical Journal and 1 in Astrophysical Journal Letters.
Pre-MAP Mentor
UW-Seattle
Mentored five students for the Pre-Major in Astronomy Program for 2 five week research projects. Strengthened students' coding skills and taught them how to interpret spectroscopic data.
Executive Secretary
NASA
Managed administrative tasks for the NASA research review panel. Took detailed notes for panelists during discussions and ranking of proposals. Organized materials for panel submission.
Teaching Assistant
UW-Seattle & UD
Taught classes, facilitated lab work, collaborated with professors to improve course material. Courses assisted: Intro to Physics I, II, & Astronomy
Education & Public Outreach Highlights
NRAO
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Astronomy on Tap-Albuquerque Lead Organizer
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NRAO Summer Internship Coordination Team Member
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NRAO Portable Planetarium Presenter & Content Creator
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VLA Tour Guide
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VLA Open House Organizing Team Member
UW-Seattle
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Astronomy On Tap: Seattle Roadshow
- eSTEAM Organizer, Mentor, & Tutor
- Astronomy On Tap-Seattle Co-Lead (MC, Social Media Director, Trivia Organizer)
- UW-Seattle Planetarium Presenter
- TAF@Sahalie MS Exoplanet Outreach
- Pacific Science Center: Meet a Scientist Day
University of Dallas
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First Annual Science Week Organizer
- Open Observatory Nights Volunteer
- Open Physics Lab Days Volunteer
- Physics & Trebuchet Demonstrations for Charity Week
- Physics Demonstrations for Family & Alumni Weekend
Public Talk Highlights
Thesis Defense: The Carbon Cycle of Galactic Atmospheres: Connection Star-Formation and Cosmic Gas Flows with the Physical Conditions of the Circumgalactic Medium
May 2025; Population Reached ~100 people
Research Projects
PhD Dissertation
Spearheaded the observational analysis for 2 Hubble Space Telescope Proposals.
CIVIL* Survey: Worked with Dr. Jess Werk, Dr. Trystyn Berg (PI), Dr. Yakov Faerman and the CIViL* Collaboration to more than double the amount of carbon observations in the atmospheres of galaxies similar to the Milky Way. Results indicate that galaxies that are actively forming stars have more carbon in their atmospheres than galaxies that are not actively forming stars. Research featured by news outlets around the world!
COS-Holes Survey: Worked with Dr. Jess Werk (PI) and the COS-Holes Collaboration to examine the observed relationship, if any, between black hole growth over long timescales and the gas content within the atmospheres of galaxies. Results indicate that carbon does not show obvious variation as a function of black hole mass.
Published Papers
Undergraduate Projects
I participated in three Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs). Through these opportunities, I focused on how stars form in our own galaxy to nearby galaxies using data that ranges the entire electromagnetic spectrum.
Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian
Advisor: Dr. Matthew Ashby
Combined optical and infrared imaging with spectroscopy observations to measure giant molecular cloud (GMC) dust-to-gas ratios throughout the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51). Developed a spectral energy distribution model to perform a two-component fit to calculate dust masses of the sample of clouds.
National Radio Astronomy Observatory
Advisor: Dr. Amanda Kepley
Examined how the star formation efficiency of the dense gas ratio (SFR/HCN) and the dense gas fraction (HCN/CO) depend on the galaxy environment using preliminary data from the Dense Extragalactic GBT+Argus Survey (DEGAS). Assisted with the development of DEGAS data reduction pipeline. Preliminary results showed a linear relation between SFR and HCN and a positive correlation between the star formation efficiency of molecular gas and the dense gas fraction.
National Astronomy Consortium - University of Wisconsin Madison
Advisor: Dr. Robert Benjamin
Built a computational model of the inner arms of the Milky Way using estimated distances to star formation regions & masers.
Policy Experience
Participated in the American Astronomical Society Congressional Visit Days. To read more about my experience, please refer to the blog post I wrote for AAS.