Resources
Questions to ask as a prospective graduate student
A list of questions to help you navigate your prospective grad visits to help choose the right graduate program.
Undergraduate Projects & Coursework
Senior Thesis
My senior thesis for the University of Rochester.
Abstract: With future astronomical surveys expecting to see millions of transient events per night (such as LSST), there is a need to develop efficient means of identifying interesting objects. One such class of interesting objects are type Ia supernovae. I investigate the optical spectral footprint of type Ia supernovae with the goal of understanding how these objects may be identified within the spectra of their host galaxies. I describe and compare several machine learning and data-driven approaches for identifying type Ia supernovae spectroscopically. Finally, I detail the application of these methods to the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), which will observe 30 million galaxy spectra over the next ten years and as such is a prime instrument for finding supernovae and other interesting phenomena spectroscopically.
RR Lyrae Variables and the HR Diagram for the M15 globular cluster
Lab report for PHY 243W: Advanced Experimental Techniques in Fall 2017 (senior) at the University of Rochester.
Abstract: We present lightcurves for 30 RR Lyrae variable stars identified in the globular cluster M15 using observations recorded at the University of Rochester’s C.E.K. Mees Observatory. The periods of the variables are compared to observations of the brightest RR Lyrae star, RR Lyrae itself, whose proximity is such that its distance is accurately determined by parallax measurements. From this we estimate the distance to M15 to be 9000 ± 370 pc. Further, we perform photometry for the stars in the cluster in three wavelength bands and present a HR diagram of M15. We discuss the evolution of the stellar members of M15 by comparison of the HR diagram to that of nearby stars.
Gravitational Waves from Binary Black Holes
Term paper written for PHY 413: Graviation (Graduate) in Spring 2017 (junior) at the University of Rochester.
Derivation of gravitational waves from the Einstein field equations under the linearized theory, derivation of the quadrupole formula for energy radiated from a system in the form of gravitational waves, equations describing gravitational wave radiation for a binary system: power radiated, rate of orbital decay, waveform of emitted gravitational waves. Comparison of linearized gravitational waves to the first LIGO detection “chirp” and waveform.
Small Oscillations of the n-Pendulum and the "Hanging Rope" Limit n → ∞
Term paper for PHY 235W: Classical Mechanics in Fall 2016 (junior) at the University of Rochester.
Solving for the equations of motion and frequencies of small oscillations for a n-link pendulum and exploring the limit in which the pendulum becomes a dangling rope of continuous mass density. This is explored from four different approaches: using Newtonian mechanics from a discrete setup (n-pendulum) and then taking the limit, as well as starting with the continuous case (rope) and solving, as well as using Lagrangian mechanics for the discrete and continuous cases.
Interactive Mathematica notebooks: Enter a value of n and watch the pendulum swing!
Measuring The Mass of Uranus by Observing the Revolution of the Moons Using Kepler's Third Law
Term paper for AST 111: The Solar System and its Origin in Fall 2014 (freshman) at the University of Rochester.
Final project involving observations from the C.E.K. Mees Observatory’s 24 inch Cassegrain telescope and 4k CCD camera. The positions of the moons and their separation from the planet are measured in order to determine the mass of Uranus via Kepler’s Third Law. However, only three nights of data were acquired during the semester, and so fitting a sine curve to the three data points was impossible. Instead, I developed my own method that is able to determine an excellent approximation given the orbital geometry of the Uranus system relative to our line-of-sight. Periods of the moons Titania and Oberon are found to 4% and 1% accuracy respectively, and the mass of Uranus is determined to 11% accuracy. Largest sources of error come from the following assumptions: (1) the orbit of the moons are circular and (2) the Uranus system is viewed exactly pole-on. The magic of conservation of momentum does the rest.