Research
In 2006 I attended the winter meeting of the American Astronomical Society,
and was highly motivated by a talk by Dr. Stan Woosley on the collapsar model
for gamma ray bursters (GRBs). This event sparked a continuing interest for
me in high energy astrophysics, one than I hope to further explore in graduate
school.
In 2008, I worked with Dr. Sharon Montgomery on reducing and interpreting HI
(21-centimeter) maps of diffuse interstellar clouds taken at the Green Bank
Radio Telescope. I traveled to Green Bank, to learn how to reduce the radio
data by working with Dr. Jay Lockman. Our long-term goal is to obtain radial
distances to a set of six such clouds, to then use in conjunction with Na-D
lines in associated stellar spectra.
I also have a strong interest in secondary education, and a background in
science education.
I will begin my graduate studies in August 2008.
I am quite interested in understanding the evolution of massive stars, in
GRBs, and in high-energy astrophysics.
Meetings
January 2006: American Astronomical Society meeting
