As a baker and manager of the production space of a popular local institution, I spent much of my time prioritizing and delegating tasks to keep the bakery running smoothly. I also trained new employees on equipment and in different spheres of the bakery; performed administrative tasks like taking orders and invoicing; and edited recipes for clarity and cohesion. I have significant experience putting out (figurative) fires, such as an oven tripping an alarm after getting too hot or a large amount of dough missing a crucial ingredient. On a given day, I might have loaded sourdough and baguettes in the oven, laminated dough to make croissants, packaged up wholesale orders for delivery, or baked up a batch of flourless chocolate cakes. I am proud of significantly increasing the amount of waste the bakery composted (instead of trashing) and instituting a recycling system for the large amount of cardboard and plastic a food production operation creates.

As an observer, I participated in an observational campaign to track geostationary satellites. I operated the telescopes at Fan Mountain Observatory to obtain images of the satellites, processed and analyzed those images to determine the positions of the satellites, and reported those positions to the primary project contractor.

I worked with a team that was building a spectrograph for the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE-2). This experiment involves taking spectra from hundreds of thousands of stars in the Milky Way in order to learn more about the origins and evolution of our galaxy. As a research assistant and lab technician, I performed a variety of tasks on a daily basis. A significant portion of my work was developing and designing assemblies and components for the spectrograph using Solidworks CAD software. I also performed quality assurance with a robotic measuring arm; assisted with installation and alignment of optical systems; researched, identified, and priced parts to be procured for the instrument; and assisted with documentation of the project. One important project was designing and constructing multi-layer insulation (MLI) blankets to protect the instrument from infrared radiation. I also worked with other scientists and vendors to perform research on various topics, including seismic activity and its effects on instrumentation. In early 2017, I spent 3 weeks at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile, assisting with the on-site installation and testing of the spectrograph. While there, I was asked by U.Va. Communications to Snapchat a day of working on APOGEE (video below). I had a lot of fun explaining various aspects of my job to U.Va.'s Snapchat followers and also answering questions students sent in.

As a research assistant, I performed seismic analysis on a telescope instrument that will be operating in Chile. I used MATLAB and Simulink to create simulations of an instrument resting on varying numbers of springs and utilized the results to inform further studies. I also performed lab tests on light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to observe their performance under differing environmental conditions, namely under cryogenic vacuum.

I graded weekly problem sets for approximately 50 students for an introductory level physics course.

While at Nikhef, I conducted an experimental research project on the phase camera, a component of the Advanced Virgo gravitational wave detector in Cascina, Italy. I took measurements in a clean room, worked with lasers, mirrors, and lenses, performed mathematical calculations to optimize the positioning of optical components, and designed optical layout diagrams (positions of optical components) for the phase camera at Virgo. I wrote a 15-page report detailing the summer's work and presented to fellow interns and scientists at the University of Florida.

I was selected by faculty to teach a 30-student discussion section for a pre-med physics course. During the semester, I led discussion section each week, creating relevant problems for the students to review; wrote and graded quizzes; conducted office hours; and assisted with exam review.

While at the CfA, I conducted a data analysis-based research project examining the magnetic field of the sun. For this project, I wrote computer programs, organized and analyzed data, worked with fellow interns and scientists on scientific problems, and presented at an informal symposium.