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In 20 words or less, what is the best thing about being part of this department?
The physics department cares deeply about supporting student outcomes!

What is your biggest piece of advice to first years and sophomores about getting connected to this department?
Come to tea time! Every Wednesday at 4pm, the math/physics/CS students and faculty spend an hour socializing on the 2nd floor of Olds-Upton – it’s a great time to connect with the department.

What is something you know now that you wish you could tell your first-year self?
Try to talk to students and professors outside of your main departments. Even if you don’t take their classes, you can learn a lot from them.

What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned at K?
There are plenty of classes professors wish they could teach but don’t have time for, so ask them for textbook recommendations!

What has been your favorite class at K? 
I loved Number Theory (MATH 316) with Dr. Oloo. It’s a great exercise in proof-writing, a key skill for all sorts of theoretical work!

How have you taken advantage of the flexible curriculum or experienced breadth?
I care about many topics outside of my majors! I have a minor in music (I play the cello), and I have kept up with Latin after completing my language requirement. These other departments have rich communities of their own that I would not have found had I stayed exclusively in OU.

What experiential education opportunities have you participated in?
I have enjoyed various external research opportunities since my first year: physics research at WMU, a math REU at Yale, machine learning research while in Budapest, and now a physics project through UMich.

What is your SIP?
I am working with the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), which uses thousands of optical fibers to gather light from distant galaxies in order to measure the expansion of the universe. I will be analyzing performance data for the robotic arms that position the optical fibers.

What are your career aspirations/next steps after K?
I plan to pursue a Physics PhD, leaning towards theoretical work, and then to enter academia.

What is a random fun fact about you?
I’m one of the campus bell-ringers!