Meet the Team

Astrid Anker

I am a physics PhD student at UC Irvine. As an undergraduate at UC Santa Cruz, my research focused on the development of a future 100 TeV particle accelerator, where I studied the sensitivity of the collider to supersymmetric models. Currently, I am working on the ARIANNA project at UCI. ARIANNA consists of an array of radio detectors located in Antarctica that are searching for high energy neutrinos coming from outer space. I enjoy the challenge of making science accessible to everyone and getting people curious about physics.

Abby Bault

I am a physics PhD student studying observational cosmology. I am involved in two science collaborations: the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) Dark Energy Science Collaboration (DESC) and the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). I hope to use LSST and DESI to learn more about dark energy and its effect on the universe. Outside of physics I like to build puzzles, crochet, relax at the beach, watch TV, or hangout with friends. I also enjoy going to hockey games especially when my favorite team, the Detroit Red Wings, are in town.

Corey Beard

My name is Corey Beard, and I’m a physics grad student here who studies exoplanets! My goals are to find planets, and then hopefully destroy them using some kind of Death Star-like object. I work on the blog because it helps me to advance my evil agenda, and to rule the galaxy through fear! Thank you very much for reading my bio, you’re the true hero(es)!

Alexander Broughton

I’m a graduate student at the Department of Physics at UCI blending high-energy particle physics with astrophysics. It’s one of my favorite things in life when people ask me about what I do. All of my work revolves around dark matter and understanding its interactions and how it might fit into the Standard Model of everything we know. In the past, I’ve worked on direct detection of dark matter on the LZ project, simulating nuclear recoils of energetic particles off of Xenon atoms. Now, I work on the camera system for the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (now called the Vera C. Rubin Observatory), which might be able to shed a different light on the nature of dark matter. My goal is to get you to think about the world in a way you never thought was possible. If you find yourself accidentally liking it, then I’ve done my job.

Nicholas Duong

I am a Physics Ph.D. student at UC Irvine concentrating in Astrophysics. My primary interests lie in exoplanetary science – specifically examining the potential habitability of other worlds and exploring what conditions are necessary for life to exist. Previously, at my undergraduate institution University of Louisville in Kentucky, I have done research in atmospheric dynamics and galaxy evolution and I also spent a summer at the SETI Institute and NASA Ames Research Center modeling and characterizing asteroid 1992 UY4. Furthermore, I’m passionate about doing outreach and making science more accessible to aspiring young STEM students who are underprivileged. Outside of science, I love to play video games, participate in casual volleyball, swimming, and boxing, learn to play the ukulele, and nerd out over Marvel, Star Wars, anime, and THE FLASH.

Haytham Effarah

I am a PhD student in the Physics & Astronomy department at UC Irvine. I am also part of the UC Irvine Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) where students complete both MD and PhD curricula. My research interests span optics and medical physics, specifically focused on the medical applications of laser and x-ray technologies. My research projects are focused on the development and applications of laser-Compton x-ray sources. I’m especially interested in medical imaging and radiation therapy applications. When not doing research, I enjoy playing games (video or board!), pretending to be a chef, and small-boat sailing.

Max Fieg

I am currently a PhD student in particle physics, although I wasn’t always. I come from Iowa State University, where I was involved in many different fields of physics until I realized that I was most interested in the fundamental questions of our universe. Today at UCI, I am testing models of dark matter, and also studying some of the most elusive particles in the universe: neutrinos. I also enjoy doing science outreach for younger students, going on hikes throughout California, and spending time with my cats.

Dylan Green

My name is Dylan and I am a Physics Ph.D student at UC Irvine currently studying and doing research in observational cosmology. Much of my work involves deep learning and convolutional neural networks and how to best apply these tools to cosmological data analysis. I am a part of two collaborations as part of my work: The Dark Energy Science Collaboration (DESC) and the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). I have been at UCI for more years than I can remember, as I did my undergraduate degree here before pursuing my graduate degree. In my free time I co-host a variety of podcasts, bake a lot of pies, and occasionally dabble in local politics.

Kevin Grief

My name is Kevin Greif, and I’m a physics Ph.D. student interested in studying particles. These are the little bits of matter that make up everything in the universe, but to actually measure their properties I work on the ATLAS experiment, one of the detectors on the Large Hadron Collider. I specifically like teaching computers how to make sense of the mountains of data produced by ATLAS, kind of like terminator Einstein. Physics can admittedly be difficult and frustrating, but it is also the most fascinating thing I’ve ever encountered, and I love trying to convince other people to agree!

Jessica Howard

I am a PhD student in the Physics and Astronomy department at UC Irvine. My research is in particle physics which aims to build a mathematical understanding of the forces of the universe. We do this by studying interactions of the universe’s smallest constituents: subatomic particles. My research has two main components, 1) developing possible mathematical models for how our universe works, 2) using methods from machine learning and big data to develop tools to help test such models. When not doing research, I like to share my passion for physics with the general public by applying my artistic skills through various outreach projects.

Kyle Kabasares

I am a physics graduate student specializing in astrophysics at UC Irvine. I work under the supervision of Prof. Aaron Barth on measuring the masses of supermassive black holes from both radio observations from the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) and optical observations from the Hubble Space Telescope. There are several correlations between the black hole mass and the properties of its host galaxy, and I ultimately am trying to discover how both the black hole and galaxy evolve with each other. Previously, I conducted soft condensed matter research at my alma mater, UC Merced, mainly on dispersing quantum dot nanoparticles into liquid crystal mediums. I also spent a summer as a part of NASA’s Student Airborne Research Program (SARP), trying to understand the effects the California drought had on pollution in the San Joaquin Valley. Additionally, I’m passionate about teaching, and I want to see the world become a more scientifically literate place. When I’m not too busy with school, I enjoy playing the piano, playing chess and video games, shooting some hoops on the basketball court, and spending time with my friends and family.

Jack Lubin

Specializing in exoplanet detection and characterization, Jack was first drawn to the field by watching Science Channel documentaries. In addition to a fascination with the subject material itself, those documentaries equally instilled a passion for science communication which led him to join the blog team. As part of his research he is a member of the TESS-Keck Survey, a collaboration of exoplanet researchers across the UCs, CalTech, and University of Hawaii, which has a primary science goal of measuring the masses of TESS planet candidates. But when not hunched over his computer, he won’t stop talking about baseball and his beloved Yankees, and when out of the office altogether he often rides his bike from UCI down to the sunny SoCal beaches to read science fiction.

Sophia Nasr

I’m a cosmology and astroparticle theory graduate student working on dark matter. I am the School of Physical Sciences SciComm Fellow for the Department of Physics and Astronomy. When I’m not working on figuring out what the Universe is made of, I enjoy communicating science on social media to demystify the idea that physics is hard, and show the world how awe-inspiring the Universe is, from the very big down to the very small. I also have hamsters I name after subatomic particles!

Tyler Smith

My name is Tyler Smith and I am a physics PhD student and NSF graduate research fellow studying theoretical particle and astro physics. I completed my undergrad at UC Riverside, as a transfer student, where I carried out research in exoplanets and spintronics. At UC Irvine I have been predominantly working on constructing a novel model for the formation of binary black hole systems and their merger rates using the LIGO collaboration’s gravitational wave data to constrain my model. I am also interested in dark matter phenomenology at colliders and in the early universe. Outside of academia, I enjoy spending time with my two daughters, playing music, watching anime, lifting weights, and much more!

Stephanie Urbano Stawinski

My name is Stephanie Urbano Stawinski and I am a physics Ph.D. student at UC Irvine. I am interested in the evolution of galaxies and their surroundings. In the past I have searched for signatures of dust in the regions between galaxies (intergalactic medium) and have worked significantly in studying the exchange of gas in the circumgalactic medium around distant galaxies. Currently I am looking for signatures of Lya emission from near the epoch of reionization to measure the neutral hydrogen (HI) fraction of the very distant universe. Outside of research, I am enthusiastic about teaching and astronomy outreach.

Vidya Venkatesan

I am an Astrophysics Ph.D. student at the University of California, Irvine. I work with Professor Aomawa L. Shields and explore the climate and habitability of exoplanets by combining observational data with computer models. Most habitable zone studies assume a circular orbit, but ~50% of confirmed planets have eccentricity greater than 0.1. As these planets spend a significant amount of time at large distances from their host star, they may have conditions where the atmosphere falls on to the surface and forms a variety of frozen species like carbon dioxide ice and water ice. My current NASA FINESST-funded project explores how the interaction between host star spectrum and surface ice composition shapes the fraction of an eccentric planet’s year over which it can be habitable using a suite of climate models. Besides research, I am also involved in outreach with the Rising Stargirls program and collaborate on some DEI efforts with the Cal-Bridge program. My hobbies include reading/watching science fiction, running, traveling, and one of my life goals is to become a certified scuba diver!

Mackenzie Turvey

Mackenzie is a fifth year working in condensed matter on single-molecule sensors. His research interests lie in improving sensors and detectors for all types of experiments, through material development.