About Me
Astronomer
I am an astronomer interested in brown dwarfs, low-mass stars, exoplanets, and instrumentation. I received my Ph.D. from UCLA in 2018 and am currently an NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Santa Cruz. My dissertation combined infrared spectroscopic and astrometric studies of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs with work in the UCLA Infrared Lab on the NIRSPEC upgrade. In the lab, I worked on optical design, detector characterization and testing, and mechanical prototyping and testing.
I serve as the Instrument Scientist for the NIRSPEC upgrade. In Fall 2018, I worked as a Keck Visiting Scholar at the summit of MaunaKea to oversee the installation and testing of the upgraded detector and electronics systems for NIRSPEC, on the dome floor of the Keck I telescope. In December, I assisted with cold testing and commissioning of the upgraded instrument, from Keck Headquarters in Waimea.
At UC Santa Cruz, I’m working on a couple of different instrument projects, including IGNIS, a proposed new instrument for Keck, and PEAS, a new instrument for Lick Observatory.
Lindy Hopper
Outside of work, dancing is one of my life-long passions. I have been dancing since I was 3, and lindy hopping for more than 10 years! I social dance regularly around California, and occasionally travel to dance events around the US.
Climber
Climbing is my other passion, alongside dancing. I mostly climb in the gym but like to get outside when I can!
Adventurer
When I’m not in the lab, on the dance floor, or climbing rocks, I enjoy traveling the world, cooking, knitting, reading, biking, and playing Dungeons & Dragons.
