As a trained astrophysicist who has spent several years doing academic research, I have a rich depth of knowledge to bring to the classroom, including up-to-date information on exciting astronomy topics as well as first-hand experience of life as a practicing scientist.
My research interests focus on cosmology and particle astrophysics: what the universe teaches us about particle physics, and what particles teach us about astrophysics. Particles have tremendous potential as astronomical messengers, and conversely, studying the universe as a whole also teaches us about the particles the universe is made of. In addition to using particles to do astronomy, we can also use the universe itself as a particle physics lab. Studying how matter clumps together on the largest scales provides new insights into the nature of matter that could never be observed in terrestrial laboratories.
My research interests focus on cosmology and particle astrophysics: what the universe teaches us about particle physics, and what particles teach us about astrophysics. Particles have tremendous potential as astronomical messengers, and conversely, studying the universe as a whole also teaches us about the particles the universe is made of. In addition to using particles to do astronomy, we can also use the universe itself as a particle physics lab. Studying how matter clumps together on the largest scales provides new insights into the nature of matter that could never be observed in terrestrial laboratories.
I began using particles as astronomical messengers was through my work on the California High School Cosmic Ray Observatory (CHICOS) at Caltech, an experiment designed to detect ultra-high energy cosmic rays that have been accelerated by unknown astrophysical engines. This requires particle detectors spread over a large area, which CHICOS accomplished by placing detectors in high schools around Los Angeles. This created both a valuable array of scientific instruments and also a fruitful avenue for education and outreach to the participating high schools.
I continued studying astrophysical processes with particles by doing neutrino astronomy with the Super-Kamiokande neutrino detector (Super-K) by conducting a search of Super-K’s highest energy data sample for a signal from high energy neutrinos from the centers of galaxies and other astrophysical sources. I also had the opportunity to travel to Japan to participate in collaboration meetings and see the Super-K detector.
I continued studying astrophysical processes with particles by doing neutrino astronomy with the Super-Kamiokande neutrino detector (Super-K) by conducting a search of Super-K’s highest energy data sample for a signal from high energy neutrinos from the centers of galaxies and other astrophysical sources. I also had the opportunity to travel to Japan to participate in collaboration meetings and see the Super-K detector.
My cosmology research has focused on how the large-scale distribution of matter can teach us what the universe is made of. In 1998, cosmologists were surprised to discover that the expansion of the universe, rather than slowing down due to gravity, is actually getting faster. This acceleration is one of the greatest mysteries in science today - it implies that 75% of the universe is composed of an unknown substance, dubbed “dark energy,” that has repulsive gravity. In addition to this unknown 75% of the universe, 21% is made up of dark matter, another mysterious substance that is gravitationally attractive but does not interact with light. Ordinary matter comprises only about 4%. Alternatively, the observed acceleration might instead be an indication that general relativity breaks down in a cosmological context. Either way, there are profound implications for fundamental physics. Fully understanding dark energy will likely require a revolution in our theories of physics and is one of the most compelling scientific challenges of our time. To meet this challenge, an aggressive program has been put forth for studying dark energy observationally, calling for a coordinated program of astronomical surveys of epic proportions over the next decade.
I have studied galaxy clustering extensively with data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). SDSS is the largest astronomical survey to date, with deep multi-color images of one third of the sky, and spectra for more than three million astronomical objects. I have also been deeply involved in planning the Dark Energy Survey (DES), a successor to SDSS designed to probe the mystery of the accelerating universe. The DES collaboration built the world's largest digital camera and is using it to photograph large swaths of the southern sky to even greater depths than SDSS. Software that I wrote is being used to optimize the survey and analyze the vast stream of incoming data from the telescope.
Observational cosmology today is a global endeavor, with research typically done in collaborations of hundreds of people from institutions across the world. As a member of these collaborations, I have explored how to mesh my own research projects with the greater goals of the collaboration, established communication channels between subgroups, and taken on leadership roles that help the entire team function well. Within DES, my software development work enabled me to become a vital communication link between scientists studying the large-scale structure of the universe and database engineers working on organizing the incoming data from the telescope. Working with a large, diverse team towards a common goal is one of my favorite parts of doing science, and these skills serve me well as an educator.
Galaxy surveys not only provide cutting-edge data for exploring cosmological mysteries - they also serve as wonderful tools for outreach and education. All of these surveys release their extensive and rich data sets publicly, so there are real opportunities for high school students and teachers to do authentic research on a wide variety of astronomical questions. Here are just a few cool resources that I can bring into the classroom:
Observational cosmology today is a global endeavor, with research typically done in collaborations of hundreds of people from institutions across the world. As a member of these collaborations, I have explored how to mesh my own research projects with the greater goals of the collaboration, established communication channels between subgroups, and taken on leadership roles that help the entire team function well. Within DES, my software development work enabled me to become a vital communication link between scientists studying the large-scale structure of the universe and database engineers working on organizing the incoming data from the telescope. Working with a large, diverse team towards a common goal is one of my favorite parts of doing science, and these skills serve me well as an educator.
Galaxy surveys not only provide cutting-edge data for exploring cosmological mysteries - they also serve as wonderful tools for outreach and education. All of these surveys release their extensive and rich data sets publicly, so there are real opportunities for high school students and teachers to do authentic research on a wide variety of astronomical questions. Here are just a few cool resources that I can bring into the classroom:
SDSS Voyages: A collection of activities, lesson plans, and other resources to help students and teachers explore SDSS data and make their own discoveries.
Micro-Observatory: A network of robotic telescopes operated by the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics that anyone can use over the internet.
Galaxy Zoo: A citizen science project where anyone in the world can contribute to ongoing research by classifying images of distant galaxies. "Zooniverse" citizens created a way to write your name using real galaxy images, which I used to create the header for this website.