Outreach & Mentorship
As a first-generation college student, one of the primary gaps in academia that I am actively working to bridge is the one that exists between undergrad and grad. To address this, I created a program called GRAD (Graduate Readiness and Application Development) that helps to address systemic barriers within physics and academia. GRAD’s mission is to increase the accessibility of graduate physics programs, particularly for marginalized groups and first-generation college students who lack the resources necessary to successfully apply. This program has already helped more than 100 college students apply for graduate school. GRAD fosters one-on-one mentoring, pairing each undergraduate with a graduate student or postdoc whose research aligns with their student’s. Currently, I am leading a chapter of GRAD within the Five College Astromonmy Department (FCAD) in the Amherst area. You can learn more about FCAD GRAD via our website: https://fcadgrad.github.io.
I have Tourette Syndrome (TS), a neurological disorder characterized by vocal and motor tics. In my personal life, I have had the chance to interact with some outstanding members of the TS community who have thrived. In physics, however, I have seldom known anybody else to have Tourette Syndrome. Whether due to a barrier to entry for students with TS or a lack of advocacy within academia, my aim is to serve as a role model for others, and I am committed to demonstrating that students with Tourette Syndrome can reach for the stars. I am featured on “Tourette’s Podcast” (S7 E9: “Exoplanets”), and have created a virtual support group for adults with TS that meets regularly.