Please tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a 4th year undergraduate physics major, I’m also a cellist, and I love coffee!

What’s your current research project? Please tell us about other research projects you were involved in.

My current research project is exploring the ICA weight space of 75,000 quasars to find possible luminosity correlations, which would be useful in constraining cosmological parameters. I’ve also been working on an archival search for existing HST quasar spectra to be used in a large scale with ground-based spectra for a further comprehensive analysis of the quasar population.

Have you received any awards or scholarships while here at Drexel?

I’ve been a recipient of the Drexel Undergraduate Physics Fellows, and the Performing Arts Scholarship.

Were you provided with opportunities to travel?

I was able to go to Canada for part of the Summer Undergraduate Research Program with the University of Toronto’s Astronomy department, and it was awesome! On a shorter term scale, I’ve also been to the 2016 SPS PhysCon in San Francisco, and the APS April 2015 meeting in Baltimore.

How was your co-op experience?

My co-ops have been with Gordon Richards, PhD. For my first co-op I did an analysis of 24 new HST quasar spectra and an archival search for existing quasar spectra taken with the HST. My second co-op was part of the Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) at the University of Toronto. I worked on using quasars as a possible standardizable candle for cosmological constraints.

What extracurricular activities are you involved with on campus?

I’m a cellist in the Drexel University Orchestra and president of the Women in Physics Society.

What has made your experience at Drexel “special” or “unique?

The co-op program at Drexel has facilitated great opportunities to get involved with active research groups, and spend the co-op period as a student researcher. The six month period of co-op is a great opportunity to tackle a project.

Why would you recommend the Physics program at Drexel for an undergraduate degree?

I would recommend the physics program at Drexel as a great starting point to get computational experience, as well as the opportunities for working as an undergraduate researcher within the department.

What advice do you have for a high school student looking for an undergraduate program?

Don’t be shy about contacting the student group leaders (Society of Physics Students, Women in Physics etc) about their experience and the student dynamic. They are there to help!