Researcher of the Week: Adursh Iyer
Gamma-rays and black holes- It's not sci-fi, its research!
Adursh Iyer is a Physics major with minors in Astrophysics and Mathematics, who will graduate in 2020.
List any Scholars/Honors programs you are a part of: Honors College, URA Scholar
Title of your research project:
Searching for Gamma-Ray Emission from Black Hole Jets
Describe your project:
My research currently entails assessing the level of gamma-ray emission coming from the relativistic jets of ionized plasma ejected from Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), which host a supermassive black hole at their centers. This involves using the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope operated by NASA to generate what are called ‘Light Curves’, which measure the brightness over time of the jet. The big question is why these jets produce X-ray wavelength light, and confirming whether or not they produce Gamma-ray light as well allows us to determine between two different theories about the X-ray light origin.
Who is your mentor(s) for your project?
My mentors for this project are Assistant Professor Dr. Eileen T. Meyer of the Physics Department at UMBC and her graduate student Peter Breiding, who will soon be beginning his Postdoctoral Fellow position at West Virginia University. I had applied for a research assistant position that Dr. Meyer had open in her group during my sophomore year, and I was humbled to have been chosen by her to begin this project, and have subsequently become a better scientist and person because of this opportunity. Ever since I had a conversation with her and Peter when I was first starting out, I had immediately developed an interest in learning more about Gamma-Ray Astronomy since I knew so little at the time. They have both constantly pushed me to be the most successful researcher that I can be by encouraging me to ask valuable questions and having fun while I perform this research, as well as offering an invaluable amount of advice at every stage of the data analysis process and encouraging me to present my findings!
How did you become interested in this project?
I have been interested in Astronomy and Astrophysics from a young age and have always pondered about what types of marvelous phenomena occur beyond Earth and our solar system, so being involved in this project was natural for me. I already had considerable coding experience before starting this project, which has proven to be a major strength of mine since virtually all of my work involves using some variant of a high level programming language (Python, Perl, R, etc.).
What has been the hardest part about your research/what was the most unexpected thing about being a researcher?
The most challenging part about my project so far has been understanding the overwhelming amount of theory associated with Radio-Loud AGN and Black Hole Jets, since all of these concepts are typically contained within graduate level textbooks, which is far beyond what I would be expected to know at the undergraduate level. Because of this deficiency of mine, I have since devoted considerable time to reading countless Astrophysical publications and graduate texts ahead of time to progress my knowledge of these subjects, which has been an eye-opening and fun experience!
What has been the most rewarding part?
I would say that the most rewarding portion of my project so far has been the level at which people have been appreciative of what I have been able to accomplish so far and will accomplish in the future. The amount of data that I have been able to analyze so far has been massive, and the Light Curve Analysis in particular can be very computationally intensive. As a result, it can be intimidating to choose which specific results to include in a publication or presentation, so being encouraged to share my findings with the rest of the scientific community has been a very reassuring feeling.
How will you disseminate your research?
I will be presenting my research at the American Astronomical Society Meeting in January of 2019 in Seattle, Washington, as well as at URCAD in April. I will also be a coauthor of a publication that our research group plans to publish over the upcoming year in the Astrophysical Journal, which implements my recent findings.
What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research?
Have a clear goal of what topic you would like to explore and what you want to achieve in the long term, and have the ability to adapt to uncomfortable situations. Scientific research is all about presenting your findings in a concise and orderly matter, while at the same time being able to accept and respond to impromptu criticism. Therefore, it is imperative that you are able to devote time to becoming as much of an expert in your particular field as possible, while at the same time developing a broader knowledge of more abstract topics should the time come that you are questioned by experts.
What are your career goals?
After obtaining my Bachelor’s Degree in Physics, I plan on pursuing graduate studies up to a Ph.D. in Astrophysics. I intend to continue conducting research on events associated with High Energy Astrophysics, while potentially expanding my knowledge more broadly to fields like General Relativity and Astroparticle Physics. Some topics which I am considering studying at a high level include exotic phenomena such as AGN, Tidal Disruption Events, Neutron Stars, Pulsars, and Gamma-Ray Bursts (just to name a few!).
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Adursh Iyer is a Physics major with minors in Astrophysics and Mathematics, who will graduate in 2020. List any Scholars/Honors programs you are a part of: Honors College, URA Scholar ...
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Mon, 01 Oct 2018 08:54:20 -0400
Tue, 02 Oct 2018 09:49:24 -0400
Intern of the Week: Shannon Clancy for Mech. Engineering!
Check out her internship with Ford Motor Company
Name:Shannon Clancy
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Ford Motor Company
Position Title: Product Development Intern
Major(s)/Minor(s): Mechanical Engineering
Work Term:Summer 2018
Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.
I work as an intern in a branch of Product Development called Body Exterior. Specifically, I am on a team who works with water management and water leak issues on vehicles. I have participated in multiple tests on vehicles and my project focuses on hole sealing process to prevent water from entering the car. I also have been working on my technical writing on the day to day by drafting design rules on various issues.
Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
I actually obtained this internship in a very unusual way from the typical apply, interview, hire process. Ford came to UMBC for the first time in 10 or so years in Fall 2016. At that time, I was a sophomore and was very interested in working on cars or possibly going into automotive engineering. The Career Center was holding a networking event for Ford where two representatives who went to school in MD, one from UMD and the other from UMBC to try to recruit interns and full-time employees. I went to the event and made a contact, John Reed from UMBC, who is actually now my manager. I applied for their summer 2017 internship, but due to unforeseen circumstances, my interview was right after their hiring process was underway and most interns had been hired by October 2017. I ended up not being hired by Ford for that summer. However, I decided that I was still invested and determined to have another opportunity with Ford. I kept in contact with John Reed through email and talked with him when he came for the Spring 2017 career fair. Between his first visit in Fall 2016 until I reapplied Fall 2017, we sent around 30 emails back and forth. He remembered my name and my experiences and would always want to know how I was doing in school and in my extracurriculars. Through keeping contact, John was able to find me a spot on his Body Exterior team and it was a moment I'll never forget as a first step in my career.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
I have enjoyed meeting the people I have so far. Ford is a huge company, and everyday I’m always meeting new people from such diverse backgrounds, even more so than UMBC. Everyone has a different story, and it’s something that has always intrigued me about others. I’ve gotten so much support, and learned more than I could have imagined, especially thankful for my supervisor and everything she has done for me. It’s also pretty cool to see and work on vehicles that come out in the next 1-3 years.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I believe I have made an impact and will continue to make an impact after my internship is over through my summer project. Even though the end product will be a small part to a large process Ford has in designing, manufacturing, and launching their vehicles, it’ll help save the company a lot of time and money through preventative measures and checks.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
Two things: One, understand everything happens for a reason and just keep trying. When I first didn’t get the internship with Ford, I was devastated. I knew since high school that I had an interest in the automotive industry and to be denied that was heartbreaking. But I didn’t give up, and John encouraged me to stay in touch and reapply for the following summer. So I made sure I still held my head high, and do the most that I could, which was talking to John. Two, networking is one of the most powerful tools you can have in your career. I believe I got this job at Ford almost fully because of networking. Obviously, you have to meet certain criteria of the company and have basic knowledge to have the position, but I impressed John and showed him my passion for working for someone like him and a company like Ford.
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Want to be the next Intern of the Week? Make sure to fill out this form and stay tuned. New interns are announced every Friday!
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Name:Shannon Clancy Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Ford Motor Company Position Title: Product Development Intern Major(s)/Minor(s): Mechanical Engineering Work Term:Summer 2018 Tell us...
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Thu, 27 Sep 2018 13:59:11 -0400
Relationship Violence Awareness Month 2018 Events Calendar
October is Relationship Violence Awareness Month
October is Relationship Violence Awareness Month (RVAM). Attached to this post is a copy of the 2018 RVAM event flyer. Please download for the full list of events.
Highlighted events:
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Clothesline Project t-shirt making is available all of October in the Women's Center. For more details on the Clothesline Project, visit the Women's Center myUMBC page.
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The Clothesline Project Display will be Wednesday, October 3rd from 10am-4pm on Commons Main Street.
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Supporting Survivors of Sexual Violence: Cultivating a Survivor-Responsive Campus Workshop for students on Thursday, October 4th from 4-5:30 PM in the Women's Center. Students can RSVP here. A faculty and staff version of the same workshop will be held on Tuesday, October 30th from 10-11:30 AM in the Women's Center. RSVP here
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Responsible Employee and/or Campus Security Authority Reporting Training on Wednesday, October 17th from 1-2 PM in Commons 331.
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Just Ask! on Wednesday, October 17th from 4:30-6:30 PM in Commons (Skylight Room).
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Art as Feeling, Art as Knowledge: A Conversation In recognition of RVAM and an introduction to CSJ: Ignite on Wednesday, October 17th from 6:30-8:30pm in the Fine Arts Recital Hall
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Green Dot Training for Faculty and Staff on Friday, October 19th from 1-4pm. RSVP no later than October 12th. Contact Jacki Stone for details.
Event Update!
Critical Social Justice: Ignite is October 22-26th. We're excited that our keynote speaker, Deanna Zandt, has adapted her keynote address to spend time focusing on the current concerns and activism related to sexual violence on our campus. Deanna is a voice in the #MeToo movement. When her story was publicly aired on This American Life’s “Five Women” episode, Deanna and her complex story became another face of #MeToo. She has since spoken out about the #MeToo movement’s initiative to both bring sexual assault perpetrators to justice and to empower survivors to tell their stories and/or heal.
We are also excited to offer an introductory plenary with alumnae Yoo-Jin Kang, INDS ‘15 and Susie Hinz, GWST ‘14 on the topic of survivor activism and critical social justice prior to Deanna's keynote.
Click
here for more details about this event.
If you or someone you know is experiencing relationship violence and would like to seek support, there are many campus resources available to you.
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October is Relationship Violence Awareness Month (RVAM). Attached to this post is a copy of the 2018 RVAM event flyer. Please download for the full list of events. Highlighted events:...
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Wed, 26 Sep 2018 16:44:03 -0400
Thu, 11 Oct 2018 08:47:36 -0400
Come Check Out the Clothesline Project Display on 10/3!
The Clothesline Project display on Wednesday, October 3, 2018 from 10 AM- 4 pm in Commons Main Street.
The Clothesline Project is a program that started back in 1990 and has been established “to address the issue of violence against women. It is a vehicle for women affected by
violence to express their emotions by decorating a shirt.” Here at UMBC we do this project twice a year – in October for Relationship Violence Awareness Month and in April for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Survivors of sexual violence are welcome to decorate a shirt with their feelings and message. Then the shirts are anonymously hanged on a clothesline display, shoulder to shoulder in Commons Main Street “to be viewed by others as testimony to the problem of violence against [anyone].”
For the past three years that I have been part of UMBC community I have seen this project and its strong impact on the community. This is a great chance for anyone who has experienced violence to share their stories in a safe setting, and also practice self-care. Making these shirts is an act of therapy in its own way. Last semester for the first time, I made my own shirt. I shared my story with many people without putting my name out there. I was able to take a story out of my chest and feel so much lighter immediately.
As a student staff member at the Women’s Center and a Resident Assistant, I had the privilege of being involved with this project more closely. Last semester with the help of the Women’s Center and some of my Resident Assistant co-workers, we were able to hold another t-shirt-making event in the residential area. This event has happened before in the residential halls, but seeing the work in person was such a powerful experience. Seeing people coming in, making shirts, and sharing their stories shows how they trust us, which challenges us to provide the best support we can as Resident Assistants and Women’s Center community members.
I personally believe having this project on campus is a great opportunity for our UMBC community members to express their feelings about their experiences with sexual and gender-based violence.
Shirts and supplies will be available throughout the month of October for any survivors who wish to create a shirt that tells their own story. Shirt-making for the Clothesline Project is also available year-round in the Women’s Center.
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The Clothesline Project display on Wednesday, October 3, 2018 from 10 AM- 4 pm in Commons Main Street. The Clothesline Project is a program that started back in 1990 and has been established...
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