Home Institution: University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth
Research Project: Advanced Resonators for Axion Searches
UW Mentor(s): Gray Rybka

Q: What are your physics/science interests?
I'm interested in just about everything astro-related, and I have also recently discovered that I have a new interest in nuclear physics - but don't tell my department chair that. I am also extremely passionate about STEM-related outreach and hope to get more involved with science communication.

Q: What are your other interests?
If I weren't studying physics right now, I would still be going to school for my interests in art. Although I started out studying animation, I still continue to pursue my interest in photography outside of classes.

Q: What would you like to do after college?
After school I'd like to go to more school and hopefully stay there as long as I possibly can.

Q: Tell us one strange but interesting fact about yourself.
I took guitar lessons until I could play most of the song "Dream On" by Aerosmith, but I then stopped because I was finally as cool as Joe Perry, which is all I ever wanted to be. My fingers also were not strong enough to play power chords so I have since swapped out my guitar for a ukulele. I painted the solar system on the back of it. I also named it Fredrick. My guitar's name was Tom.

Q: What first sparked your interest in Physics?
Any amount of exaggeration would not begin to explain how much I hated physics at first. I had a really amazing high school physics teacher who showed me that physics actually isn't some terrible thing to be afraid of. Even though I thought I was never going to be any good at it at the time, he proved me wrong and I ended up falling in love with it enough to pursue it full-time.

Q: If you could have any pet what would it be?
Unfortunately my dog Bobo requires an unrealistic amount of lap-time and attention and does not get along well with others, so I might have to pass on this one.

Q: If you had a free month and unlimited funds, how would you spend your time?
Well obviously I would rent out each Disney park for a week and invite everyone I know and love to come join me. Every week would be a different park, so we could hit Orlando, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Paris. (Sorry Anaheim.) I would also invest in a house at some point on this trip to return home to in the end, and I would purchase a tiny house for my mother in the backyard. That's all she wants.

Q: If you could get a grant to study anything what would it be?
The socioeconomic impact of fidget spinners on America.