CUB Astro Day 26

Today’s lectures were all over the map here at SSP. Without the need for more lectures about our orbit determination, our professors are free to discuss topics that may not directly correlate to asteroid orbits. Our morning started at 9:00 A.M., beginning with a narrative from Dr. D about his involvement in the investigation of a plane crash. He taught us about how the concepts we have been learning – mainly physics and optics – have a wide variety of applications, even if they may not seem very obvious. Conducting experiments to simulate optical conditions on the night of the crash led Dr. D to come to a conclusion that those without a physics background might not have seen.

In the second half of the morning lecture, Dr. D shared his academic journey. Starting at a young age, he used his prized possession – his telescope – to observe the cosmos. As he grew up, his fascination only intensified, leading him to discover the correlation between physics and astronomy.

In my favorite part of the lecture, Dr. D recounted his experience when he attended SSP, back when there was only a singular campus in Ojai, California. He shared his late-night experiences and both the similarities and differences to our own experience here at CU Boulder. He then progressed through his academic journey and shared his extensive track record of institutions he studied at and worked at, before eventually ending with his current position here at CU Boulder. Lastly, he shared with us some pieces of science literature that he highly recommends as we progress through our courses of study.

In the afternoon, Dr. Z shared some important aspects of resume building and marketing yourself in a professional atmosphere. Sharing techniques for contacting people through various mediums, he shared some of his personal experiences when making professional contacts. We also took some time to think about how we would describe our incredible experience here at SSP, first in 5 sentences, and then in just two (Let me tell you, it was a struggle). We also talked about letters of recommendation in preparation for applying to positions in the college, the workforce, and more. In the second half of his lecture, Dr. Z focused on the topics of exoplanets and their detection. We learned about various surveys, including TESS, that search for varying brightness in stars all over the night sky in order to find evidence of transiting planets. We looked at examples of star light curves and the types of programs that researchers use to determine the size, density, period, and so much more about these exoplanets.

Now, as I am writing this at 10:00 p.m., almost all participants are here in the computer lab. Whether that be working on PSETS, orbital determination code, or prepping for their upcoming observation, the sound of collaboration and problem-solving is everywhere. TA’s are wandering around providing assistance to those who need it, but more often its us participants helping each other the most. With the program almost reaching its end, it’s hard to believe that we’ve only known each other for a few weeks. The information we learn and the bonds we make here at SSP make it an undoubtedly once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Cash

Cash

SSP Participant

Hello, my name is Cash and I’m from New London, Wisconsin. I am looking forward to pursuing studies in math, physics, and astronomy. In my free time, I enjoy snowboarding, playing the alto saxophone, and hanging out with my friends.