About Me

I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Astronomy and Astrophysics Department at Pennsylvania State University. I use they/it/xe/ey pronouns (anything but he or she is fine). My current research is focused on SETI (the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) in the Solar System. I am preparing a database to track non-gravitational accelerations (NGAs) of small bodies in the Solar System, as observed by the upcoming Vera Rubin Observatory, to set upper limits on the potential existence of extraterrestrial artifacts in the Solar System.

I am also finishing a project to correct the wavelength solution of the Habitable Zone Planet Finder (HPF), which is an infrared spectrograph designed to detect potentially habitable exoplanets using the radial velocity (RV) method. In the past, I have modeled the impact of magnetic activity on spectral lines in an effort to mitigate the impact of stellar activity on RV measurements. As an undergraduate, I studied shock heating in the winds of massive O and B stars.

Beyond astronomy, I am interested in climate science, and I intend to pursue climate change-related research after my expected graduation in spring/summer 2026.