Aubrey Laity
Name: Aubrey Helene Laity
Hometown: Fleetwood, Pennsylvania
Anticipated Graduation: Spring 2021
Major: Physics
Minor: Mathematics
Internships/Research/Projects:
The undergraduate research that I am conducting under Dr. Crawford from Franklin & Marshall College in their Astronomy department consists of using new software programs on old raw survey data from the Parkes telescope and looking for pulsars or fast radio bursts that were undiscovered during the initial processing. The Parkes Observatory is located in New South Wales, Australia, and the Parkes 70cm survey was collected from the telescope as it looked across the southern sky for pulsars. This research process required going through the output data, identifying and filtering out any signals from known pulsars, and scanning the leftover data for additional pulses or radio bursts. Although the data had been scanned before for pulsars with older software, this research project is the first to analyze the survey for fast radio bursts and use newer software. Hopefully, this research project will lead to the discovery of a new pulsar within the next year!
Inspirations (for major, research, internship):
Since the earliest I can remember, I knew that the universe and the infinite around us was what I wanted to study for the rest of my life. I can remember when my mom asked me in fourth grade what I wanted to be, and I boldly replied, “An Astrophysicist!” Astronomy is a gateway science- it is both interesting to those professionals and students who study it, but it also interests the general public with its explanations on the beginning of the Universe, the ending of it, and everything in between. There’s no need for a microscope, large or expensive lab experiments, petri-dishes or dissections- anyone can tilt their head back during the night and see the Universe above them! That ability, the closeness and reality of it all, is what draws everyone to wonder more about it. Just like Henri Poincare the physicist said, “Astronomy is useful because it raises us above ourselves; it is useful because it is grand; …. It shows us how small is man's body, how great his mind, since his intelligence can embrace the whole of this dazzling immensity, where his body is only an obscure point, and enjoy its silent harmony."
Highlights (from courses/internship/research):
I participated in my school’s Society of Physics Students (SPS) club and held the Treasurer position for one year; joining this club allowed me to gain connections with other Physics students and faculty, coordinate two yearly physics conference trips for students in the department, develop strong leadership skills, and begin a monthly newsletter! Additionally, I was able to have the flexibility in my degree’s concentration that allowed me to take courses at Franklin & Marshall that would count towards my degree here at Millersville. Franklin & Marshall College owns the Grundy Observatory, has its own 2.3m diameter Small Radio Telescope, and an astronomy research lab; this opportunity allowed me to take four astrophysics courses, participate in NANOGrav through NANOStars research, and conduct two semesters of research on pulsars under Dr. Crawford in my final year at Millersville.
Takeaway (from courses/internship/research):
Thanks to the school’s funding, I was also able to attend the APS April Meeting 2019, the 72nd Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, the virtual APS April Meeting 2020, and the virtual 40th Annual Central Pennsylvania Consortium Astronomers Meeting. At these national and regional meetings, I had the opportunity to sit in on lectures in different areas of Astrophysics and make professional connections, which led me to understanding what area I wanted to go to graduate school to research within and find female mentors who have achieved what I dream of. Dr. Uy was an incredibly supportive academic advisor during my undergraduate degree, and she stood behind my decisions as well as encouraged me to take harder courses, attend more conferences, and make a greater impact on the Physics department during my time here; I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity to work with her and learn from here. The opportunities that Millersville University and the College of Science and Technology allowed me to take part in strongly influenced my knowledge, passion, and drive towards my graduate program.
Advice (for incoming freshman in your shoes):
I have more advice to give than I have words to say! All common forms of advice such as reach out to your professors, use your advisor, join clubs, and study are all applicable, but I’ll give some more specific advice that I followed. If you have less than 15 college credits, take CLEP exams through Modern States for free and the credits will transfer over to Millersville- this is how I got the majority of my general education requirements done early and on the cheap! Otherwise, taking general education courses during the summer/winter sessions is a great way to get ahead. Start planning out your degree as thoroughly as you can- what classes you’ll take each semester cross-checked with when they’re offered and what prerequisites are needed, and what general education courses cover the most requirements can then fit in the gaps. Utilize ELCM for summer traineeships, utilize campus jobs for working during the semester with a student-friendly schedule, and utilize the school’s scholarship, grants, and funding. It’s all there for a reason! Also, if you’re like me, don’t sweat the social life- not everyone goes through college the same way. For me, I got a lot closer with my parents, my siblings and their children, and my cousins; I’m so happy to have them in my life again.
Aspirations (upon graduation):
Once I graduate from Millersville, I plan on attending an Astrophysics doctorate program at a school within the North-East United States. After receiving my doctorate degree, I plan on having a post-doctoral position or a fellowship for a few years before beginning my career. Ideally, this would be with the NASA Postdoctoral Program at either the Goddard Space Flight Center or at the Langley Research Center. However, beyond that, I have one specific dream in mind, which is getting a permanent placement at the Smithsonian Institution as an Astrophysicist in the Chandra X-Ray Center or in the High Energy Astrophysics Division of the observatory. Although these are only dreams for now, I frequently look at the openings in these areas to align myself in order to achieve them, which I highly recommend in order to keep yourself goal-oriented and impassioned about what you have yet to achieve.
If you are currently employed in your field, please provide professional information, where you work, when you started, etc.:
Although I’m not employed within my field, I would give the advice to anyone that there is always more to learn. Even if I don’t have a job in Physics or Astronomy yet, my current jobs have taught me business skills, interpersonal skills, have taught me how to use difference technical equipment, and have allowed me to meet a variety of people and mentors. During my undergraduate degree, I had traineeships through ELCM, worked as a historical research assistant for Keperling Preservation Services, spent time as a tour guide in admissions, worked in Technical Operations in the SMC setting up lighting, visual, and sound equipment, and I was able to work under Hope Schmids in the College of Graduate Studies and Adult Learning assisting with social media, data analysis, and educating myself about the local nonprofit sector. Every lesson that I’ve learned outside of my field still provides me with experience that will forever be useful to me!
What has been the most significant and/or exciting aspect of your work?
The most exciting aspect of my degree path so far has been being able to attend the national APS conferences with my peers. My first conference, the Annual April APS Meeting, was held in Denver, Colorado during only three days after the first-ever picture of a black hole was unveiled. I can remember the bubbling excitement from astronomers and physicists at the meeting- this single image was an incredible feat that used the international network or radio telescopes called the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). Before attending the conference, I had never even been on a plane, let alone had the ability to attend a conference that combined physicists from all over the world into a single area for days! I attended symposia on the early universe, dark energy, general relatively, black holes, and even poster sessions that showed research from other undergraduates. Another benefit of the conference was that they held outreach sessions such as panel discussions with graduate students, an undergraduate breakfast and workshop, and a discussion about women in physics! The conferences that I was able to attend after that furthered my knowledge and ability to network with others in my field, and it gave me a great opportunity to learn about post-doc experiences and what graduate school would be like.
Scholarships awarded while attending Millersville University
Board of Governor’s Scholarship, Class of 1948 Endowment, David Engle Scholarship