Education: I am currently a graduate student in the Johns Hopkins University Department of Materials Science & Engineering. My advisors are Dr. Kevin Hemker and Dr. Joshua Cahill.
I graduated with Honors from JHU in 2022 with an M.S. in Applied Physics. I graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2019 with a B.S. in Mathematics.
Research Interests: I am interested in extreme environments and computational geophysics, particularly modeling, simulations, and data fusion.
Lunar Vertex Mission I am a co-investigator and instrument scientist on the Lunar Vertex mission, working on sensor characterization and testing for the Vector Magnetometer instrument suites and implementing the novel gradiometry algorithm to be used to analyze noise sources during the mission.
I am interested in the magnetic topology and ambipolar electric fields of the Reiner Gamma magnetic anomaly which may be related to the development of the swirl pattern and photometric and spectroscopic properties of the region.
I use a miniature magnetosphere model developed as part of my master's thesis to investigate variable solar wind conditions that may occur over the course of the mission and potential effects that may be observed by the Vector Magnetometer Lander and Vector Magnetometer Rover instruments.
Lunar Swirls I work with Dr. Joshua Cahill at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) studying lunar magnetism and UV-visible spectroscopy.
I focused on the intersection of these observations to interpret how space weathering manifests upon the lunar regolith. Above is an animation I created of a potential "miniature magnetosphere" generated by the Reiner Gamma magnetic anomaly undergoing compression by varying solar wind dynamic pressure, which exposes the underlying regolith to high energy particles that may unevenly weather the surface, creating the associated photometric anomaly.
The future Lunar Vertex landing site is marked by a dark blue arrow, and this model will be compared to measurements obtained during landing and the mission duration on the surface. Below is another visualization of Reiner Gamma from my master's thesis work, which involved mapping and analyzing four ultraviolet datasets from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Wide Angle Camera and Lyman-Alpha Mapping Project (see Waller et al., 2022).
Global Lunar Magnetics Map I previously worked with Dr. Dhananjay Ravat at the University of Kentucky, using Clementine and Lunar Prospector (LP) data to produce high resolution maps of the lunar swirl named Reiner Gamma (seen below). I created models of the crustal magnetic anomaly associated with this lunar swirl to constrain the subsurface geometry of the source, in pursuit of understanding the formation of the anomaly. We also created a highly refined dataset from the LP magnetometer to apply a new inversion technique and produce a high-resolution global map of magnetic anomalies on the lunar surface.
Global Martian Magnetics Map During my time with Dr. Ravat, I also processed MAVEN magnetometer data to help produce a global map of the Martian magnetosphere. I combined and refined monthly downlinks of MAVEN data, and mentored two students who joined the lab when I was a senior.
Community
Teaching: I have designed STEM-themed museum exhibits and taught STEAM summer camps and workshops. As director of the Farish Planetarium, I hosted daily K-12 field trips and weekly public planetarium shows. As an undergraduate, I participated in an experiential learning course where students designed and executed half-day STEM workshops with underserved middle school students from rural Kentucky. I also worked in the University of Kentucky Math Lab during my junior and senior year, assisting with development and 3-D printing of mathematical visualization aids for introductory math courses.
Policy: I have partnered with the American Physical Society (APS) and the American Geophysical Union (AGU) to engage with local and regional policymakers, advocating on a variety of science policy issues. In 2020, I was recognized for my work with the APS 5 Sigma Physicist award.
Outreach: I volunteered as a NASA Solar System Ambassador as a resource for the public to learn about NASA's past, present, and future work. I hosted over 2 dozen public lectures at observatories (like the MacAdam Student Observatory pictured above), libraries, schools, coffee shops, bars, and other community organizations throughout Kentucky.
Equity & Inclusion: I am currently a mentor in APL's CIRCUIT program and was previously a mentor in NASA Goddard's Association for Post-docs, Students, and Early Career Scientists (NGAPS+). I created several resources in the Earth & Space Science classrooms at the Living Arts & Science Center for students to learn about underrepresented scientists and explorers, and diversified the Farish Planetarium show catalogue to include astronomy and mythology from over a dozen different cultures. I was the undergraduate chapter representative for the University of Kentucky Association for Women in Mathematics during my senior year.
Contact
I am open to collaboration for research and outreach, please reach out at my email linked below!
