About Me
Welcome to my webpage! I am currently a postdoctoral research associate in the Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Oklahoma. As a member of Dr. John P. Wisniewski's research group I work on protoplanetary disks and debris disks, as well as mass loss from massive stars. This fall I will be joining Dr. Emily Levesque's research group at the University of Washington.
I use a combination of observational techniques and existing modeling codes to better understand the morphologies and chemical distributions of material around young stars that may be forming planets. Because the type of supernova a massive star becomes is dictated by its mass loss, I also use observational techniques to better understand where these systems lose material.
In 2014 I was selected as a Rodger Doxsey Travel Prize winner, which allowed me to present my dissertation work at that January's AAS meeting. I graduated from the University of Denver in 2013 and worked on massive stars with Dr. Jennifer Hoffman. I also worked with Dr. Michael Corcoran at NASA's GSFC as a NASA Jenkins Pre-doctoral Fellow. Before that, I graduated with a B.S. from St. Lawrence University in 2007 as a physics and mathematics double major.
I am also currently serving on the American Astronomical Society's Early-Career Advisory Board. If you have concerns about how the AAS can better serve postdocs, graduate students, and undergrads please contact me.
Recent News
2016 Appointed to the AAS Early-Career Advisory Board
2015 V444 Cygni X-ray and Polarimetric Variability: Radiative and Coriolis Forces Shape the Wind Collision Region
Astronomers breathe new life into venerable instrument
More Than Meets the Eye: Delta Orionis in Orion's Belt
2014 AAS Rodger Doxsey Travel Prize Winner
2013 Successfully defended PhD Dissertation
2012 NASA Student Ambassador, Cohort IV
2010-2013 NASA Harriett G. Jenkins Pre-doctoral Fellowship