research overview
- My academic background is in Physics, and my research interests cover planetary sciences, physics/astrophysics education research, and community engagement fieldwork. I am interested in planet-moon interactions in the Solar System and exoplanet systems for planetary research. I perform computer simulations to study the dynamics of these systems and determine their orbital stability in the face of tides and other factors. Most recently, I determined a general stability limit for the moon of a moon, i.e., submoon (Rosario-Franco et al. 2020). Using results from my orbital studies, I examine the potential for (exo)planet-moon systems to be detected by modern radio telescopes. Currently, I'm leading the analysis of the first application of the radio-detection method with data from the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) located in India. I also conduct the survey and analysis of beam-formed observations using the Long Frequency Array (LWA) in New Mexico. For (Astro)physics education research, I've had the opportunity to contribute to aiding the visibility of Physics students from underrepresented communities. Beyond recruitment, retention of students from these communities is a problem that (Astro)Physics departments face, especially at a graduate level. In a collaboration (Sherr et al. 2020), my work sheds light on the graduate experience of Physics students from underrepresented backgrounds and how racial or ethnic isolation in their departments may impact their careers. This study includes suggestions for departments to achieve retention. Most recently, I have been collaborating with CU Next Faculty Project to implement mindful uses of teaching and technology through the undergraduate Learning Assistant (LA) model. Outreach and community engagement fieldwork, I help deliver educational materials in English and Spanish for NASA's PUNCH Mission Outreach Team, Science Through Shadows, and Hispanic Outreach with Fiske and the Observatory Program (of which I am PI).