I’m a second-year grad student at IfA Mānoa. My first year, I worked with Roy Gal studying galaxy evolution in the Hyperion proto-supercluster at z~2.5 using a combination of COSMOS photometry, ground-based spectroscopy, and HST grism spectroscopy. By studying the change in the galaxy stellar mass function as a function of galaxy overdensity, I can infer how galaxies evolve differently in different environments.

This year, I am studying shear flow magnetic reconnection with Colby Haggerty. Through the use of analytical theory and Particle-in-Cell simulations, I am accounting for the affects of a shear flow on magnetic reconnection in space plasmas. This updated theory will then be used to interpret observations from the Parker Solar Probe.

I’m originally from Indiana and graduated from Indiana University with B.S. degrees in Astronomy, Physics, and Math. My research at IU mainly centered around studying the evolution of stars in binary systems. I also did an REU at the University of Kansas with Dr. Allison Kirkpatrick where I studied cold quasars.

Outside of Astronomy, I like to hike, play video games and board games, and I’m trying to learn guitar!