Congratulations Class of 2020!
Laura Lenkic
...is receiving a master's degree in Astronomy. She began her astronomical career at The University of Western Ontario, where she received a Bachelor of Science with an Honors Specialization in Physics and a Minor in Advanced Physics. She began her graduate career at UMD in 2016. Her second-year project was entitled "Plateau de bure High-z Blue-Sequence Survey 2: Blind Line Search and CO Luminosity Functions."
Morgan Adair
... is graduating with a double degree in Astronomy and Economics, with a minor in Statistics. After graduation, she will be starting a job as an actuarial consultant at October Three, LLC in Chicago.
Conor Bergman
... is graduating with a triple degree in Physics, Astronomy, and Computer Science. After graduation, he will be starting a job as a software engineer at Amazon.
Jordana Blenden
... is graduating with a degree in Astronomy. She received the Unsung Hero Intern Award when she was an intern at the Leadership & Community Service-Learning Office in the Stamp Student Union. She is currently working part time with KBR, who contracts with NASA Goddard for support on the Aqua, Aura, and Terra satellites and plans to continue in her position after graduation.
Mackenzie Carlson
... is graduating with a double degree in Physics and Astronomy. She received the following awards and honors:
- NSF S-STEM Scholarship Fall 2018, Spring 2019
- Joseph Helfand Memorial Scholarship in Physics Aug. 2018 -- May 2019
- Access Network Assembly Fellowship 2019, 2020
- Bardasis STEM Scholarship Fall 2019, Spring 2020
- Mary A. Ross and Robert W. Ross Endowed Scholarship Aug. 2019 -- May 2020
- nominated for UMD's Lorde-O'Leary Award
She will be attending graduate school at The Johns Hopkins University in the fall.
Vivian Carvajal
... is graduating with a degree in Astronomy and a degree in Physics with a minor in Rhetoric. She received the following awards and honors:
- Banneker/Key Scholarship
- University Honors Citation
- Sigma Pi Sigma
- Mortar Board
She will be attending graduate school at the University of Arizona in the fall.
Eli Elstein
... is graduating with a double degree in Aerospace Engineering and Astronomy. He received an Aerospace Engineering Research Opportunity Scholars award. He is currently job-hunting.
Jacob Golomb
... is graduating with a degree in Physics with High Honors and a degree in Astronomy with High Honors. Honors thesis title: "Methodologies for Analyzing and Evaluating Models of Quasar Variability." He received a University Honors citation and is Phi Beta Kappa. He will be attending graduate school at Caltech in the fall.
Caleb Harada
... is graduating with a degree in Astronomy with High Honors and a degree in Physics. Honors thesis title: "Signatures of Clouds in Hot Jupiter Atmospheres: Modeled High Resolution Emission Spectra from 3D General Circulation Models." He received the following awards and honors:
- University Honors citation
- NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
- Maryland Space Grant Scholarship
- Angelo Bardasis Memorial Scholarship
- Monroe Martin Undergraduate Research Award
- UMD President's Scholarship
He will be attending graduate school at UC Berkeley in the fall.
Claire Hinrichs
... is graduating with a degree in Physics with High Honors and a degree in Astronomy with High Honors with a minor in Project Management. Honors thesis title: "Investigations Into Blazar Flare Mechanics." She received the following awards and honors:
- Monroe Martin Undergraduate Research Award Fall 2019
- Conference for Undergraduate Women In Astronomy Overall Poster Award Winner Fall 2019
- AAS 235th Winter Meeting FAMOUS Grant Winner Fall 2019
- CMNS Alumni Association Undergraduate Summer Research, Travel and Educational Enrichment Award Summer 2019
- Maryland Space Grant Scholarship Fall 2018 -- Spring 2020
- Angelo Bardasis Memorial Scholarship Fall 2016 -- Spring 2017, Fall 2018 -- Spring 2019
She will be attending graduate school at Dartmouth College in the fall.
Jillian Kunze
... is graduating with a degree in Astronomy with High Honors and a degree in Physics with High Honors. Honors thesis title: "Calibration and Data Simulation for RIMAS, the Rapid Infrared Imager-Spectrometer." She received the following awards and honors:
- Winston Family Honors Best Student Paper Award
- John Mather Nobel Scholar Award at NASA Goddard Summer 2018
- Phillip Merrill Presidential Scholar Award November 2019
- Gemstone Honors Program/Thesis Citation
- Gemstone Team Library Award
She is currently interviewing for science communication positions at professional organizations and research institutions.
Kristin Laferriere
... is graduating with a degree in Astronomy with High Honors and a double-major in Physics. Honors thesis title: "Exploring Spatial and Temporal Changes in Hydration on the Lunar South Pole." She will be attending graduate school at Purdue University in the fall.
Katherine Minker
... is graduating with a degree in Astronomy. She received the following awards and honors:
- Sigma Pi Sigma
- Jimenez-Porter Writers House Citation
She will be starting the master's of astronomy program at the Universite Cote d'Azur in Nice, France.
Ryan Morris
... is graduating with a degree in Astronomy with High Honors with minors in Planetary Sciences, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, and Sustainability Studies. Honors thesis title: "Probing Hot Jupiter Temperatures with TESS Photometry." He received the following awards and honors:
- Presidential Merit Scholarship
- John Mather Nobel Scholar Award at NASA Goddard Summer 2019
He will be attending graduate school at New South Wales University in Australia.
Laura Ocampo
... is graduating with a degree in Astronomy with a minor in Sustainability Studies. She is currently job-hunting.
Luca Riitano
... is graduating with a double-degree in Physics and Astronomy. He received the following awards and honors:
- University Honors citation
- 2019 Maryland Summer Scholar
He will be attending graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the fall.
Orlando Romeo
... is graduating with a double-degree in Physics and Astronomy. He received the following awards and honors:
- The Professor William M. MacDonald Physics Scholarship 2019
- Johns Hopkins University APL Scholarship 2016 -- 2020
- Angelo Bardasis Memorial Scholar Award 2016 -- 2019
- Sigma Pi Sigma
He will be attending graduate school at UC Berkeley in the fall.
Meghna Sitaram
... is graduating with a degree in Physics with High Honors and a degree in Astronomy with High Honors with a minor in Music Performance. Honors thesis title: "Cross-Dispersion System for an Integrated Photonic Spectrograph." She will be attending graduate school at Columbia University in the fall.
Ryan Skoletsky
... is graduating with a degree in Physics with High Honors and a degree in Astronomy with High Honors. Honors thesis title: "Developing a new software pipeline to spectroscopically classify BCUs." He received the following awards and honors:
- Maryland Space Grant Scholarship 2017 -- 2020
- UMD Presidential Scholarship
- Gemstone Honors Program/Thesis Citation
- Gemstone Team Library Award
- Angelo Bardasis Memorial Scholar Award
He will be attending graduate school at the University of Colorado Boulder in the fall.
Timothy (Joey) Taylor
... is graduating with a double-degree in Physics and Astronomy. He received the following awards and honors:
- UMD Presidential Scholarship
- Angelo Bardasis Memorial Scholar Award
- John Mather Nobel Scholar Award at NASA Goddard
He will be attending graduate school at the University of Colorado Boulder in the fall.
Kyle Tregoning
... is graduating with a double-degree in Physics and Astronomy. He received the following awards and honors:
- Angelo Bardasis Memorial Scholar Award
- Dean's Scholarship
He is currently job-hunting.
Benjamin Wade
... is graduating with a double-degree in Physics and Astronomy. He will be attending graduate school at the University of Virginia in the fall.
Matthew Wilkin
... is graduating with a degree in Astronomy with High Honors and a degree in Physics with High Honors. Honors thesis title: "Using Granular Dynamics Simulations with Cohesion to Create Fluffy Regolith." He received the following awards and honors:
- Gemstone Honors Program/Thesis Citation
- Gemstone Team Library Award
He is currently job-hunting.
Logan Wood
... is graduating with a double-degree in Physics and Astronomy. He will be attending graduate school at George Mason University in the fall.