It is hard to believe that I am entering my last semester of college. I was told many times that it would go fast, and that has most certainly been the case! As I prepare to apply to medical school, I have reflected on my past four years with fondness and pride that I made the most of my time in the St. Louis community. This past semester, I earned a 4.0 GPA while taking a rigorous course load, and I am looking forward to my courses this upcoming semester. Knowing graduation is near, I sold Bears Bikes to a first-year student at WashU. Bears Bikes taught me more than I ever expected! I often get asked why I chose to purchase a student-owned business, especially given that I was a premed student and would likely never have time. As I shadowed physicians, I would always ask what one thing they would like to do differently was. The overwhelming theme was always related to the desire to have more business knowledge. That was my primary motivation for purchasing Bears Bikes during my first year of college, and taking business classes in addition to my biology major.
I have already begun preparing my AMCAS application for medical school, and have finally gotten my personal statement where I like it. There are hundreds of essays left, but I am excited about what the future holds!
This is my final year at WashU, and potentially my final year in the great city of St. Louis! My final semester will continue to be incredibly busy, as I have a full schedule of coursework, continue working at the Warner Lab, work at iFM Family Medicine, and work on creating an AI model to aggregate and predict all the data we generate at the lab. In addition, I am drafting my personal statement for my AMCAS medical school application and will begin applying this May. Outreach will continue to volunteer at local organizations, supplying medical kits to the unhoused in the St. Louis community. As the weather gets colder, the need goes up exponentially, and just as I have done for the past 5 years, Outreach Humanity will do its part is mitigating the unfortunate circumstances of those in need. I will write another post in a month, as I will likely have some exciting news to share!
I just concluded my second semester of my third year! I had a hectic semester, managing rigorous coursework (earning a 4.0 GPA), operating Bears Bikes, volunteering at Siteman Cancer Center, and furthering my research at the Warner Adaptation Laboratory at Washington University Medical School. Our abstracts for several publications are not with the NIH, and we hope to have them published soon!
Upon the end of the academic semester, I immediately began working as an ophthalmic assistant at Mattax, Neu, Prater Surgery Center in Springfield, MO, again as I had the summer prior. I am very grateful they had me back for another year. As before, I would like to thank Dr. Jacob Thomas, Dr. James Mattax, Dr. Leo Neu, and Dr. Thomas Prater (a WashU Medical School graduate) for providing such an insightful opportunity to assist in nearly every aspect of their practice.
Additionally, I am involved in weekly Outreach Humanity initiatives with the Springfield Dream Center and other local organizations that support underserved segments of my community. Thank you to the many volunteers who helped support and staff Outreach Humanity during these critical community missions.
Starting in August, I am excited to report that I will begin working with the Institute for Family Medicine (IFM) in St. Louis. IFM was founded by Dr. David Campbell in 1999, who recognized that health is at the root of many hardships faced by his fellow St. Louisans. Kids can’t focus in school, parents can’t work to provide for their children, and families in crisis can’t overcome major life hurdles if they’re in poor health. Dr. Dave, as he’s called by most patients, knew he could improve quality of life for those in need by taking healthcare services into the heart of St. Louis’ most disadvantaged communities. IFM Community Medicine lives this mission every day by bringing healthcare services directly to points of need in our community, overcoming access barriers related to cost, transportation, language, and trust. IFM’s mission is remarkably similar to Outreach Humanity, and I was drawn to the convergence of their similarities. I will report later in the Fall on how it is going, and I look forward to the impact I can potentially have on those in need.
Lastly, I am spending any free time I have left to study for the MCAT, and I plan to take it late this summer!
This past Friday, I had the opportunity to present my research on liver injury as it relates to short gut syndrome (SGS) at the WashU Spring 2025 Undergraduate Research Symposium. My presentation, “Dysregulated Lipid Metabolism is Associated with Progressive Liver Injury After Massive Small Bowel Resection in Murine Model,” explored intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD), which is a morbid consequence of short gut syndrome, characterized by poor weight gain, diminished fat reserves, and liver steatosis.
Thank you to Dr. Daniel Alligood and the entire Warner Intestinal Adaptation Laboratory team at the Washington University School of Medicine for your guidance over the past two years! I plan to continue my research at the Warner Laboratory next year as well and will likely present my continuing research again at next year’s symposium!
On April 4th, 2025, I was saddened to receive a text about the unexpected passing of Dr. Brad Warner. This photo was taken just a few days prior when I was shadowing and doing rotations with him at the St. Louis Children’s Hospital. For almost two years, I have had the privilege of working in the Warner Laboratory at the WashU Medical campus. Dr. Warner was an inspiration to all of us at the lab, but his reach goes so far beyond that. He was an incredible mentor, researcher, surgeon, and photographer whose impact on my life is challenging to express in words fully. Working under his guidance is an experience that has profoundly shaped my perspective both academically and personally.
Dr. Warner was not only a respected leader in pediatric surgery but also an inspirational person whose wisdom extended far beyond his medical expertise. I am grateful to have had the chance to absorb the invaluable advice and insights he generously shared with me. He had a passion for excellence and empathy toward his patients and students alike.
Beyond medicine, Dr. Warner was an exceptional photographer. We both shared a passion for photography, and we discussed our experiences looking through the lens of a camera. Through his photography, you could see how he captured his view of the world, his creativity, and his desire to help others capture monumental moments of their own lives.
Thank you, Dr. Warner, for your mentorship, your art, and the profound difference you made in so many lives. I hope to continue your exemplary legacy of improving lives. You will be missed.
I thought I would quickly update my semester, as I am just over the halfway mark! I have begun work at Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes Jewish Hospital on the Oncology Patient Care Team, and it has been a very informative experience so far. Also, I have tried to incorporate more time and energy into making Outreach Humanity a more significant part of the St. Louis community. I have also engaged in the community as President of the UNICEF chapter at WashU, and we recently worked at Family Forward’s Rocket Ball Gala to benefit children in the St. Louis area. Family Forward is dedicated to transforming the lives of children and families throughout the St. Louis region. They use a trauma-informed approach to provide therapeutic and educational services to support biological, foster, and adoptive families. A huge thank you to the UNICEF team for their contribution to all our projects!
Additionally, I have mentioned many times that I work at the Warner Laboratory at the WashU Medical School. Dr. Brad Warner is the Jessie L. Ternberg, MD, PhD Distinguished Professor of Pediatric Surgery and chief surgeon for the St. Louis Children’s Hospital. In addition to general pediatric surgery, his surgical specialties include short bowel syndrome, necrotizing enterocolitis, and inflammatory bowel disease. I recently spent more time with him in clinical rotations. I want to thank him for his advice on life, medical school, and the incredible opportunity to work at the Warner Laboratory at WashU. I will present my research this April at the WashU Undergraduate Research Symposium and compose an update afterward.
I just completed my first semester of Year 3 and had another great semester. Exciting news: I found out that the research I am involved with at WashU Medical at the Warner Lab will be published in the National Institutes of Health this Spring. Once it is published, I will add a link to the publication so it can be viewed! Regarding coursework, I most liked BioChemistry this past semester, as it was similar to my favorite classes, Orgo I and II. After meeting with my advisor at WashU, I have completed all my Biology major requirements, and I can explore other classes I find interesting and outside my major. I have also continued my work at Siteman Cancer Center and am President of the UNICEF chapter at WashU. I had zero free time all semester, but I somehow managed to find a way to fit everything in! This upcoming Summer has begun to take shape, as I will work full-time again as a clinical ophthalmic assistant at Mattax, Neu, Prater Eye Surgery Center. This will give me valuable clinical experience and allow me to further develop my skills working with patients, physicians, and office staff. I am very grateful for the opportunity! Additionally, any free time I have will be spent studying for the MCAT. I have another busy semester upcoming at WashU, and I will make another post regarding my coursework and experiences!
Last week, I began my third year at Washington University in St. Louis! The first two years transpired incredibly quickly, and I am sure the second two will as well. As I have mentioned, I am co-owner of a student-owned business on campus called Bears Bikes. Last semester, I met with the university to allow electric-assist bikes on campus. Once approved, I partnered with Vvolt in Portland, Oregon, to acquire bikes to rent to the student population. The results were a fantastic success! One of my missions is to facilitate an avenue for the population to become healthier, greener, and more aware of their community and surroundings. All of these facets are a part of making a community thrive! This effort has been one of the most gratifying experiences so far, as people who would otherwise use a car or bus to get to class are now using one of our bikes instead. The feedback so far has been all positive, and hopefully, this healthy initiative will continue long after I have graduated.
I am about to conclude an incredibly busy summer! After closing out the second semester of Year 2, I immediately began working as an ophthalmic assistant at Mattax, Neu, Prater Surgery Center in Springfield, MO. I was able to complete about 160 hours of work there in the month was was in Springfield, and I want to be sure to thank Dr. James Mattax, Dr. Leo Neu, and Dr. Thomas Prater (WashU Medical School grad) for such an insightful opportunity to assist in almost every aspect of their practice. It was one of the most intriguing experiences I have had so far, and the insight into the complexities of sight and the human eye was especially compelling.
Additionally, while in Springfield, I was able to lead several Outreach Humanity initiatives with the Springfield Dream Center. The Springfield Dream Center is an official affiliate of the Dream Centers located across the nation in cities such as Los Angeles, St. Louis, Atlanta, and Nashville. The Springfield Dream Center brings help for today and hope for tomorrow to Springfield and the surrounding areas. We supplied basic medical needs and hygiene supplies to the unhoused and underserved population of the community. Thank you to the many volunteers who helped support and staff Outreach Humanity during these critical missions in the community.
Upon returning to St. Louis in mid-June, I began work at the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes Jewish Hospital and the Washington University Medical School campus. As a patient care volunteer and coordinator, I assist in all aspects of making incoming patients and their families more comfortable and informed about their care and any other aspect that is needed. I have enjoyed the experience at Siteman so well, I am going to continue my service once school begins. Thank you to those at Siteman who have allowed me to have this opportunity!
Lastly, I have also continued my research work at the Warner Laboratory at the Washington University Medical School, and I look forward to working there this upcoming semester. Additionally, I took Physics I and Physics II at WashU, which I enjoyed very much. It was challenging fitting an entire semester of Physics into one month, but I found the time and was able to get an A!
Summer is almost over. I had almost zero downtime during this period, but as always, I will continue to ground myself and align my goals towards providing service and care for others.
I just wrapped up finals for the second semester for Year 2, and I was very pleased to earn a 4.0 GPA! This semester included what turned out to be my favorite class so far, Organic Chemistry II. The fundamentals of organic chemistry can answer many of the basic questions of what makes up the world around us and why specific reactions occur in nature. In addition to a rigorous course load, I also spent much time in the Warner Lab at Washington University School of Medicine and the St. Louis Children’s Hospital. I was also elected to executive leadership positions in on-campus organizations and spent a lot of time volunteering and fundraising. Overall, it was my favorite semester yet at WashU!
This summer, I am working as an ophthalmic assistant at a surgery center, which has proven very interesting and helpful in adapting skills related to patient care. Being one of the first points of contact between the patient and physician, it has embraced the theory of comprehensive care for the entirety of a patient’s visit. I will write more on the experience as summer progresses! Additionally, I am taking Physics I and II at WashU, as I ran into several scheduling conflicts for my course load next Fall. I will continue to work in the Warner Lab as well all summer. While I will have almost zero free time, I am looking forward to a very busy and challenging summer!
Lastly, the photo above is with the director of Gathering Friends, which Outreach Humanity has partnered with to bring basic medical and hygiene supplies to the community’s unhoused and underserved. As always, I am looking for additional organizations to partner with, especially those whose reach serves those most in need!
I am very excited to report that I will be working at the Warner Laboratory at the Washington University School of Medicine beginning next semester! The lab is ran by Dr. Brad Warner and Dr. Jun Guo. I cannot wait to give updates on my experiences! Here is information from their web page:
The Intestinal Adaptation Laboratory at St. Louis Children’s Hospital seeks to understand the mechanisms through which the intestine adapts to massive intestinal loss.
Multiple human conditions exist in which a large proportion of the intestine needs to be surgically removed or is lost due to injury, inflammation or interruption of blood supply. Once the intestine is removed, the remaining bowel senses this acute loss and tries to compensate by a process termed adaptation.
This adaptive response consists of increases in cellular proliferation within the mucosa as well as a slight bit of growth in intestinal length and caliber. During this time, patients clinically require intravenous nutrition to supplement what cannot be absorbed entirely by the gastrointestinal tract.
A full adaptation response is achieved when patients are able to tolerate full feedings by mouth and no longer need supplemental intravenous nutrition. In many circumstances, the adaptation response is incomplete, and many of these patients require a lifetime of parenteral nutrition and its allied complications.
The main thrust of the Intestinal Adaptation Laboratory is to more fully understand this response and thereby be able to enhance it. Ultimately, growing the bowel back will permit patients to achieve a more normal lifestyle and avoid the complications associated with intravenous nutrition.
The laboratory is led by Brad W. Warner, MD, and Jun Guo, PhD. This team blends sophisticated molecular biology techniques with clinically focused relevant applications. The technology utilizes transgenic, knockout and mutant mice in a unique intestinal resection surgical model. In addition, laser capture microdissection (LCM) microscopy is used to study adaptation in isolated cells of the small intestine.
I’m giving a quick update as the first semester of my sophomore year comes to a close! I have had a great first semester with Organic Chemistry, Orgo Lab, Bio, Bio Lab, Gender Studies, and Statistics. I have had a lot of time to reflect on the time I spent in the hospital over the summer with some incredible physicians. This reflection has aided me in the direction I will proceed for medical research next semester and this upcoming summer. I have been busy with being an executive leader in the WashU chapter of UNICEF, as well as Heart for the Unhoused. I also became a member of MedED and the WUSTL Premed Society this semester, which will be an exceptional way to meet other people like me on the pre-health track. I will give another update after the semester concludes!
This past week, a very special person in my life passed away. He taught me some of the biggest lessons in life, and inspired me to begin my service to others. RIP Rob, I will miss you.
Summer break has concluded, and it felt like it lasted about two weeks! I had very little downtime between summer coursework, volunteer work, and time spent at the hospitals in Springfield, MO. I took a 5 hour college course and I spent almost 100 hours in the hospital working with some of the best physicians in my area. I would like to thank all of the physicians that took time from their busy schedules to share their professions and passion with me, I was very inspired by my time with them! While spending time in the hospital, one of the most intriguing and interesting fields I discovered was orthopedic surgery. I got to work with two incredible surgeons who introduced me to the practice, and broadened my understanding of patient care from diagnosis and discovery, to correction and patient follow-up. I cannot wait to get back into the hospital this semester and next summer!
Outreach Humanity made great strides this summer, and I expanded the great partnerships I have developed in the community. Through our Outreach Humanity Health Fairs, we were able to reach the growing unhoused and food-insecure population of our hometown Springfield, Missouri. By partnering with Gathering Friends, we served over 360 people. With Springfield Dream Center, we reached 240 people. With over 600 people served through our first aid health kits, oral hygiene kits, feminine hygiene kits, healthy snacks, and educational materials our first summer, that is an excellent start. I would like to thank all those who helped me with this process, and get ready to do it again over Christmas break!
School starts tomorrow at WashU, and I have another very rigorous schedule, but looking forward to starting! I will give an update once the semester is underway.
It was a great pleasure to partner with Gathering Friends Outreach in my hometown of Springfield, MO., to assist the underserved and unhoused in my community. Gathering Friends Outreach is a sub-group of Gathering Friends for the Homeless, providing on-the-street services to Springfield’s homeless and at-risk population. Every Tuesday, a meal is provided to anyone in need. They rely solely on volunteer workers who form mentoring relationships with those served while providing basic necessities. This was my first event in my own hometown, and despite an unwelcome thunderstorm, it went very well. Outreach Humanity supplied basic hygiene supplies, first aid kits, oral hygiene kits, and women’s health essentials.
Additionally, I have wanted to increase the scope of Outreach Humanity to my local community and seek other like-minded people to share my passion. Knowing I could not do it alone, I reached out to two family friends who assisted with preparing and distributing our supplies. A huge thank you to Ava Walters and Julia Jane Sponenberg for their hard work and support of Outreach Humanity and their desire to help our community. As we plan many other events like this over the summer months, I am very excited about their involvement and plan to share their compassion with the greater population.
I am very excited to share that I am now co-owner of a student-owned business called Bears Bikes on the campus of WashU! The business has four co-owners, and we rent and repair bikes for students on campus and sell merchandise and biking supplies. We have over 500 bikes currently in our rental pool and hopefully will expand that to meet the demand we are seeing. Bears Bikes was founded in 2004 as part of the Washington University Student Enterprise Program (StEP) and has grown exponentially since.
Biking is one of the healthiest and most practical transportation alternatives. As part of my commitment to improving the health of my community, I thought Bears Bikes was a perfect match for me to help achieve this mission. I would like to thank the Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship for making student-owned businesses at WashU possible.
A brief explanation of StEP is as follows: The Washington University in St. Louis Student Enterprise Program (StEP) provides a unique opportunity for students to own a business on campus that serves the Washington University community. Student owners can supplement the valuable business and entrepreneurial skills they learn in the classroom while gaining real-world experience as they manage and lead their own businesses.
StEP is a nationally recognized small business development program committed to equity and developing students equipped with knowledge, skills, and resiliency to succeed as innovators, entrepreneurs, and enterprise leaders.
I will have more to follow on this exciting new adventure on campus, and I am very happy to be a growing part of providing healthy and sustainable transportation to the students at WashU!
I am very excited to share that the Springfield Regional Arts Council chose two of my works to be displayed at the Springfield-Branson Regional Airport! These two pieces are part of the Earth, Water, Air, and Fire display shown from February 24, 2023 to May 26, 2023. Here is a brief statement about the Sky Gallery:
“The Springfield-Branson National Airport proudly showcases the top talents from local and regional artists, with new exhibits changing regularly. Make sure to arrive early for your flight, and view a diverse collection of artworks from landscape photographs to abstract paintings. The Sky Gallery also hosts concerts and local Springfield, Missouri events. Fine art exhibits rotate quarterly and consist of works by artists from the Springfield Regional Arts Council’s member registry, students and faculty of our local colleges, universities, and public schools, and occasionally national organizations and special interest groups.”
These two photos were captured with my professional drone above Shroud Cay in The Exumas, Bahamas. The “rivers” of Shroud Cay provide some of the most idyllic displays of nature, and I am so proud to bring their beauty to the over 1 million people who travel through the airport annually in my hometown of Springfield, MO. Of course, any proceeds from any sales will be donated back into the communities of The Bahamas as well as my local community!
I completed my first semester of college, and it was an incredible experience! Regarding coursework, I had General Chemistry I, Calc, Medical Prep, Molecular Biology of Genetic Disease, and Aging in Society. Without a doubt, I enjoyed my first-semester opportunity to study infectious diseases in biology. In particular, Genomics- the branch of molecular biology concerned with the structure, function, evolution, and mapping of genomes. I look forward to my second semester, as I will take the next section of similar coursework. I would like to thank my first-semester professors, whose knowledge and professionalism are outstanding. My primary goal for the second semester is to align with a charitable organization on campus or in the St. Louis community that will enable me to serve the community. The convergence of health and the community is often overlooked, and an enormous population of underserved people lack a basic understanding or access to proper health care. One of my professors touched on this topic, and it sparked my answer to the future direction of my charity and this site. The idea of promoting healthy activity, nutrition, mental health, and primary healthcare is an insurmountable challenge in the St. Louis community. The chancellor of Washington University, Andrew Martin, talked to the incoming freshman and stressed that our name is Washington University in St. Louis. This was impactful, as I must devote my efforts to the St. Louis community and embrace the WashU and St. Louis ecosystems together. I have begun researching possibilities and aim to find a campus organization early this semester to help promote health and healthy living in the St. Louis community!
Today I entered a new and exciting chapter in my life; I started my first semester at Washington University in St. Louis. I was a bit nervous, but I quickly settled in from the move-in day a couple of days ago. I included a pic of my dorm room, which turned out great! I had not updated Outreach Astronomy in a while and was at a crossroads regarding where I wanted to take the site. Since I started it in 2020, I have been incredibly proud of my accomplishments. I have raised over $50,000 for science education, including textbooks, curriculum enrichment, and basic needs often overlooked in strained budgets. Something I have been thinking about over the past six months, as I was preparing to enter college, was what I wanted to pursue as a passion for a future career. In 2019, I volunteered for a local medical hospital and thought that was my future. When the pandemic hit, I was no longer allowed into the hospital, and astronomy began to occupy more and more of my time. As the pandemic eased, I reengaged with medicine and the health sciences. As I enter college, I have chosen to transition my coursework from astronomy and physics to human health sciences. This was something that took me almost six months to decide, and as I begin my first semester, I will rediscover my love of medicine and be able to help people navigate their own healthy lives. I am sure I will be very busy with coursework, but I intend to keep my charity running and active, and I intend to continue to help even more people in my college life. Stay tuned!
On December 25, 2021, the James Webb telescope was launched from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana atop an Ariane 5 rocket. The James Webb telescope is the most powerful telescope ever produced by humans and is over 100 times more powerful than the Hubble telescope. The estimated cost was around $9 billion USD. While the expected discoveries of Webb will be the most exciting part of the program, I believe a very interesting part is where Webb will be located, in Lagrange L2. Joseph-Louis Lagrange was an 18th-century mathematician who found the solution to what is called the “three-body problem.” That is, is there any stable configuration, in which three bodies could orbit each other, yet stay in the same position relative to each other? As it turns out, there are five solutions to this problem – and they are called the five Lagrange points, after their discoverer. While the physics of this problem is fascinating to study, the most intriguing part to me is at L2, humanity will most likely find the most striking discoveries about the Universe ever witnessed by humans. The location itself, L2, is just a term describing a location in space, but from that simple location, we will peer back into time billions of years to find the elements of what makes us human. I find that very powerful, and think we owe a debt of gratitude to Joseph Louis Lagrange, and his discovery that will make this journey possible. I look up each night and think about what Webb is doing, and waiting until this May when we hope to see some of the first images of our past.
I am so excited to write this blog post! I was accepted into my first choice for college next year at Washington University in St. Louis, MO. I started researching WashU about two years ago, and visited the campus in June of this year. After looking at about a dozen of the top universities all over the United States, I set my sights on WashU. I am specifically looking forward to the research possibilities, world class instruction, and being part of community that will enable me to reach the goals I have set for myself. I am honored that WashU has asked me to be part of their learning ecosystem, and I will engage myself to the fullest to advance their community to the best of my ability. I will continue to post updates on my journey, and be an advocate for the university’s mission both in the United States and globally.
I get a common question all the time: “Why are you doing this?” That is a fair question, and I think it is a compelling question that requires a bit of reflection on my part. I recently wrote a paper basically addressing this very subject, and I thought I would share it here. I may not be changing the world yet, but I am on my way. Hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy spreading the gift of astronomy and the sciences to those in need!
When I was in first grade, I recall my teacher often saying, “you sure ask a lot of questions!” I do ask a lot of questions, and the unexplained and vicarious nature of a myriad of topics sometimes consumes me. The topic that fascinated me the most was that of the cosmos. As you look upward, it compels oneself to question their own place in the Universe and forces you to extract and explain the complexities of what lies all around us as a species. I believe the curiosity to engage with a hundred thousand million stars in our galaxy and beyond is important not just as a hobby, but as a cornerstone to furthering knowledge and finding scientific truths about ourselves and the world around us.
When I entered high school, I was excited to learn that as a sophomore I could take an Earth and Space course. I worked through my freshman year counting the months until I could take this course. My anticipation was soon replaced with disappointment as I realized the course content was limited to a basic introduction of our own solar system. At that moment, my head went into overdrive. As I sat for about a week contemplating how I could suggest a course for my high school, I realized the ubiquitous nature of the immense lack of opportunity for students to learn about astronomy.
I realized quickly that my motives were somewhat selfish. I was trying to create a curriculum to satisfy my own curiosity, when clearly there was a need out there that was much larger than myself. I am always looking for a way to affect positive change in those around me, and that week I formed my own 501(c)(3) charity, Outreach Astronomy. I had a conceptual idea of what I wanted to accomplish, but I knew my foremost goal was to advance intense science-based education in students that otherwise would never have such an opportunity. As an amateur photographer, I created a link on my Outreach Astronomy website to sell photographs I have taken over the past several years. Thankfully, my efforts started to gain traction in my community and I began selling many of my photographs, including astrophotography and landscapes. I was so excited, as I had created something that could have a meaningful impact on someone’s education. Since then, I have partnered with school systems locally and internationally to fund science-based education for grade school learners. I am especially proud to have donated science textbooks to a school of over 400 children. My goal is they will find the intense love of learning I have, and my efforts will spark their own curiosity about the subjects they learn about.
Throughout this incredibly fulfilling journey, I have not forgotten about advancing my own fundamental curiosity of learning. In this time, I have taken courses at Harvard Secondary School, HarvardX and CaltechX. Most notable was spending my summer in the Harvard Secondary program learning about astrobiology and the interplanetary sciences. As I move onto the next chapter in my life, I feel I have a deep responsibility to find balance between my own curiosities and helping those around me breakthrough their own perceived limitations. I am most comfortable when I move from what I know, to the world of what I don’t know. Not knowing is the best catalyst for change in an uncertain world. What can I explore? What can I create? How can I help those around me?
First, I write this post on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 September attacks on hummanity. I think it is important to mention this prior to my update, as we should all reflect on that day. The event occured three years before I was born, but clearly the impact and conversation will remain relevant for generations. As we acknowledge those who were lost, we must find comfort hoping that 20 years later it has hopefully brought us closer together as a nation as we reflect together.
As I made my first donation early this summer, the individual schools indicated that my donation would go to the furnishing of textbooks for the students. I felt very proud when I received the attached photos showing what we had accomplished together! The students families are responsible for buying their own textbooks, and I was able to take that burden off of them so they could focus their mission on the joy and exploration of learning. Science is often a forgotten subject in many locations around the globe, and my outreach and community education, we can all expand the minds of young learners to embrace our future. As I look to my next donation in support of science based education, I will most certainly reflect on the impact I have had on these students!
I spent the summer of 2021 enrolled in Harvard Secondary School in a class entitled Planets, Moons and Their Stars: the Search for Life in the Cosmos. I have always considered myself an intellectually curious person, and have challenged myself to learn for the excitement of gaining knowledge about topics that I am interested in. This summer I joined over 1,000 students on over six continents and sixty-four different countries around the world who shared the same quest as myself. While it was challenging, it was the most engaging and deeply satisfying experience I have had to date. I wrote my final project on Black Holes, and how their existence potentially could alter the event horizon we understand about the universe. My research paper focused on the three types of black holes: stellar black holes, intermediate black holes, and supermassive black holes. My detail was more granular on the large clusters of dark matter that make up one of four types of supermassive black holes. The event horizon and the singularity is one of the most facinating aspect in the known universe. Clues to our own existence can be found throughout the universe, and black holes are one of the greatest unknowns in the scientific community. I intend to keep researching the topic to see if, through knowledge, we can unlock more clues to what causes these events, and if they can give us clues into our past and our possible future. More to come on this topic! Remember to always look up!
Since I started Outreach Astronomy, I have been researching diversity in astronomy and planetary sciences. I began to notice right away there clearly must be a lack of inclusion based on the makeup of the people involved in the related topics. One of the more impactful articles I read cited a July 2017 study by the American Geophysical Union (AGU). It said “Women of color working in astronomy and planetary science report more gender and racial harassment than any other gender or racial group in the field, according to a new study revealing widespread harassment in these scientific disciplines. In a survey of workplace experiences among astronomy and planetary science professionals, about 40 percent of women of color reported feeling unsafe in their workplace because of their gender, while 28 percent feel unsafe due to their race.”
Today, I became an associate member of the American Geophysical Union. I overwhelmingly feel compelled to make Outreach Astronomy and all the people I interact with recognize and understand the impact of longstanding discrimination in the scientific community. I personally have commmitted to the “Eight Deliberate Steps AGU is Taking to Address Racism in our Community” which can be found on their web site at AGU.org as well on this web site. These are not just words, but actionable challenges to foster cultural change.
In the future, you will see me put Outreach Astronomy at the forefront of cultural change, and I will be part of the solution.
This past week I was able to make my first donations based on the proceeds from selling my photographs on Outreach Astronomy! While planetary science, astrobiology and astrophotgraphy is my passion, most of my photos that have sold have been landscapes taking in and around the islands of the Bahamas. The most common question I get is “where did you take all these?” Most were taken on a small island called Harbour Island, off the coast of Eleuthera Bahamas. I felt since the majority of my revenue was based on photos I have taken there, it made sense to give back to the people and the place that is so special to me. I was truly inspired by the warmth and genuine passion the students have for learning. Science based education intrigues the mind, and makes us all focus on who we are as a species. I felt deeply humbled and honored to give to such an appreciative and wonderful group of schools on the island. It is just the beginning, and hopefully I will be able to return and do the same soon. A special thank you to Will Simmons, Tamara Lorey, Lang Hudepohl, and Jay Jay Percentie to making this possible! In case you were wondering, here is where I made my donations:
The Harbour Island All Ages School – Tamara Lorey – PTA
The Harbour Island Green School – Will Simmons
Exceptional Education Outreach of The Bahamas – Lang Hudepohl
A huge thank you to everyone who has purchased one of my photographs. Please know that it is going to an exceptional cause, and lives will be changed as a result. Until next time, always remember to look up to the sky!
I just found out I was accepted to Harvard for summer school this upcoming summer. I am taking a class titled Planets, Moons and Their Stars: the Search for Life in the Cosmos. It is taught by Alessandro Massarotti, Associate Professor of Physics, Stonehill College and Associate of the Department of Astronomy, Harvard University. A brief background is below:
Alessandro Massarotti is Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Stonehill College, and Director of the recently introduced Earth and Planetary Science Program. He has also been an associate of the Harvard College Observatory for close to twenty years, after having been a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA). Dr. Massarotti’s research focuses on the study of the structure and evolution of rocky planets, including the Earth, Mars, Venus, Mercury, and the many exoplanets currently being discovered orbiting stars other than our Sun. Dr. Massarotti also researches tidal effects on rocky planets in the habitable zones of small red dwarf stars, and explores how Earth’s climate history can be used to better calculate the extent of habitable zones of stars in general. Another line of Dr. Massarotti’s research is in stellar astronomy, where he has examined the evolution of red giant stars and discovered that stars acquire surface rotation from a rapidly spinning core when their outer layers become coupled with the core by convection, corroborating the notion that stars like our own Sun initially rotate fast, but soon lose surface rotation because of stellar winds.
Of all my instruction and learning so far, I am looking forward to this more with great anticipation. I plan to use what I learn in the classes to not only further my own knowledge, but also share that information with the groups I speak with regarding the field of astronomy and astrobiology. Stay tuned for more information, and always look up!
The purpose of Outreach Astronomy is to influence young learners into loving astronomy and thinking beyond our own planet. I have taken thousands of photos over the past few years, and luckily have been able to sell those that people have found fit a place in their life. I always intended to donate all my proceeds to schools where I shoot photos. I shot a photo on 2018 while on vacation in Harbour Island, Bahamas that has been generating the most purchases, and that is where I have chosen to make my first donation! I have chosen the Harbour Island Green School after doing research and visiting with several leaders on the tiny island. A bit of information from the schools website and the program director William Simmons:
“The school will follow the National Curriculum of The Bahamas delivered through a range of experiential, interdisciplinary and project-based learning activities that meet national curriculum objectives and international learning benchmarks. This will be supplemented with sustainability education and citizenship education taught in a sustainability and community class. The school’s curriculum will be cross-referenced with international benchmark standards drawn from international curriculums, the common core, the Ontario curriculum in Canada and the IB curriculum.”
Throughout the world COVID made it impossible to travel. Now that we are able to travel again with precautions, we are fortunate enough to have a future trip that will return us to the island again. I intend to make my donation in person, and hopefully it will be used to inspire the students to look upwards to the stars and visualize the worlds beyond our own!
On July 30, 2020 NASA launched the Perseverance rover to explore the Jezero Crater on Mars. Perseverance landed on its intended target on February 18, 2021 after a 130 million mile journey. Many people don’t realize that we have had almost 50 past missions to Mars since 1976. That being said, the most recent missions from NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are the most significant from a science perspective. There have been five successful rover based missions to Mars from NASA and JPL. They are Sojourner, Opportunity, Spirit, Curiosity, and now Perseverance. It is important to note that the complexities and advancements have grown in scale tremendously since the first rover. Perseverance houses 23 cameras including 9 engineering cameras, 7 science cameras, and 7 entry, decent, and landing cameras. Other advancements include a microphone, which will enable us to hear the sounds of Mars for the first time. Additionally we will be able to analyze soil samples for signs of ancient life in the Jezero Crater, which was formed from an ancient lake bed. One of most exciting parts of the mission in my opinion is Ingenuity, a drone helicopter that will help scout future missions and look in areas for Perseverance to travel. It will be the first powered flight beyond Earth. Given that there was clearly water at some point on Mars, it will be significant if we find conclusive evidence of ancient life forms, albeit microbial in nature. Like millions of other people, I will follow NASA and JPL on this mission, and watch humanity look for the a better understanding of the universe around us!
One of the most significant and impressive telescopes on Earth is not actually on Earth, but rather flying above its surface. NASA’s SOFIA aircraft, also known as the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy is a Boeing 747 that has been adapted to house a telescope to look into the skies. The 747 can fly up to about 45,000 feet above sea level, and that allows it to escape 99% of the infrared interference in our atmosphere. The 100 inch telescope has made some significant discoveries, most recently including the October 2020 discover of water on the sunlit side of our moon. Albeit a very small amount (6.1 microns), it is of huge significance given that water is necessary for life as we know it. SOFIA does have a guest observer (GO) program. It has been temporarily suspended due to COVID, but hopefully will begin again soon. They have extremely limit space for GOs, but one can apply to participate for a non-research seat on a SOFIA flight out of Palmdale Regional Airport in California. While a long shot, I submitted a request to the AD of Science Operations for the SOFIA project. Ground based telescopes have many limitations, many that cannot be overcome by equipment. SOFIA enables us to get an infrared view of the skies and assist research from a global pool of talent. Over half of all starlight is emitted at infrared wavelengths, so its an ideal way to view the stars. Next to Hubble or Webb, SOFIA is our next best option from ground based telescopes. I found it to be a very interesting project, I plan to research the findings of SOFIA to expand my discovery of our galaxy and beyond.
First, let me say Happy New Year to everyone, and hopefully 2021 will be much easier year than 2020 was for the all of us on Earth. Like most astronomers, I always wonder what is visible beyond the capabilities of my equipment, budget, and competency. After a bit of time searching online, I realized to really get great images of objects outside our solar system I would need to learn to layer photos taken over long periods of time. Furthermore, I would need to use much more powerful equipment to see further back in time in the galaxy. I reached out to Grand Mesa Observatory located about 30 miles outside of Grand Junction, Colorado. It is located about 6,100 feet above sea level, with almost no humidity and zero light pollution. I sent an email to the Director, Terry Hancock, and inquired about remote access to their telescopes and capturing images. This could really increase my capabilities and understanding of capturing and editing images. Terry was kind enough to get me started with monochromatic image layers of The Veil in the Cygnus Constellation. The Veil is a supernova remnant from a star that exploded about 10,000 to 20,000 years ago. The star was about 20 times more massive than our own sun. My main goal was to get familiar with editing and layering hundreds of images in Photoshop or Deep Sky Stacker. The bottom image is the a base monochrome layer, and the top is after working with it for over an hour. Very unimpressive, but that is an example of how technical and tedious astrophotography is. The complexities of image capture as well as the time spent processing afterwards is what makes the field so exciting. This is a just a first step, so hopefully I will be able to share more impactful images soon. As always, look up!
In 1623 Earth witnessed the last conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. In fact it was almost 400 years earlier that this conjunction occurred at night, so almost 800 years ago! On December 21, 2020 we were lucky enough to have the same event happen again. Even more so, I was lucky enough to have great weather in my location and while not ideal viewing, was able to see the event for a couple hours. The moon was about half full, and Saturn and Jupiter became visible at dusk in the south eastern sky. I found the brightness of the moon, the sun setting in the west, light pollution from my city to the west, and the short time before the two planet dropped below the horizon to all be challenges. Nonetheless, what an amazing event! I captured several shots of the moon while waiting for the sun to set, and decided to include them in this post. The moon is about 240,000 miles from Earth, Jupiter about 550 million miles, and Saturn about 1 billion miles. So even while these two planets looked close, they are still 450 million miles apart. It is simply a display of alignment versus them being significantly closer. Using my Celestron 8SE, the shots I got were hazy and mediocre at best. There was quite a bit of wind, and the mount for the 8SE does not do well with the very slight movement. Regardless of the challenges, over a few hours I was able to witness a once in a lifetime event, and hopefully my photos will inspire others to look upward!
Tonight on November 30th, 2020 we will see the last of four lunar eclipses for the year. While solar eclipses may be more widely known and exciting, I believe lunar eclipses are one of the most overlooked events easily witnessed from Earth. I have had my Celestron 8se telescope ready to go for the past few hours, but as often with astronomy, the weather is not cooperating. Total overcast! The maximum exposure is at 3:43am for my city, and I have my alarm set for 3:15am to see what the cloud cover is at the time. I intended to leave my telescope set up in my driveway so it will be ready to go.
There is a solar eclipse on December 14th this year, but only visible in far South America. My only total solar eclipse was August 21, 2017, and we drove to Jefferson City, Missouri to experience totality of almost two and a half minutes. While I was just getting started in astronomy, I managed to get some incredible shots. The chances of the Sun, Earth, and Moon lining up perfectly are somewhat small, yet they happen multiple times per year globally. We typically only have a few lunar eclipses per year, and the partial and penumbral lunar eclipse are just as fascinating as totality.
When I was younger, I can remember setting my alarm to wake up at 4am or 5am in the morning to go out and see the eclipses. I always tried to get a picture of them with an old mobile phone, but sadly I never got one worth keeping. Thanks to my investment in my Celestron telescope, I hope to get a picture of one that encompasses the magical nature of the event. Through Astronomy Outreach I hope to give educational institutions the chance to see eclipses and other astronomical events up close. All donations will be used to fund telescopes and other astronomical equipment so schools will have the ability to show students the wonders of the alignment of our own solar system.
You can ask anyone who identifies as an astronomer, novice or professional, and they all have a common habit: you always look up! When people ask me about my photographs or my general interest of astronomy and astrophysics, the most common question is how do you get started. My answer is almost always the same, capture your first image. This is my first image I captured that was even remotley close to something I thought was worth not moving to the trash folder. It was taken on an iPhone 6 while holding it up to a spoting scope lens. I had no equipment, an unsteady hand, and was trying to balance the moon between two focal points and trying to get some form of accurate focus. After about a hundred tries, this is what I got. It is underwhelming from a photography perspective, but it was my first photo where I stepped back and was so elated that I got what I thought was my first real image of something above us. Every astronomer has their first image and remembers that feeling.
I started Outreach Astronomy to bring that same feeling to youth in my community, as well as the communities I take photos in. This includes various locations in the United States, and just about anywhere I am fortunate enough to visit. The most common barrier to young individuals getting excited about astronomy is simple, its cost. Most people never look through a telescope. Every element of Earth came from elements found in the Universe, and looking up is to explore the origins of humanity. As I get donations from my community, partner with businesses, and sell my images online, I will use 100% of the proceeds to purchase astronomy equipment for classrooms. Furthermore, I want to teach those served the basic fundamentals of our solar system, how to use the equipment, and how it translates to our place in the Universe.
