Florida Institute of Technology
Melbourne, Florida
Astronomy/Astrophysics
Bachelor of Science, May 2006
NASA Academy Research Project:
“Construction of a Swift Data Archive and Development and Implementation of Swift Gamma Ray Burst Analysis Tools”
Principal Investigator: Chryssa Kouvelitotu
Academic and Research Experience
• Villanova University, Villanova, PA, Summers 2003, 2004:
Research Assistant, Astronomy & Astrophysics Dept. Worked with Dr. Edward Sion using IUE data to model and analyze binary star systems known as cataclysmic variables. Analyzed the system WW Ceti in depth.
• Villanova University, Villanova, PA, Summer 2003:
Research Assistant, Astronomy & Astrophysics Dept. Worked with Dr. Laurence DeWarf on the Sun In Time / Solar Twin project. Analyzed a catalog of nearly 100 stars searching for those that closely resemble our Sun.
Memberships and Activities
• Crimson student newspaper, News Editor Oct. 2002 – May 2003, Editor-in-Chief May 2003 – May 2005
• Student Ambassadors, Member Aug. 2003 – May 2004, Historian May 2004 – May 2005
• Quality of Life Committee, Member Aug. 2003 – Aug. 2004
• Student Government, Senator Sept. 2003 – Sept. 2004
• New Student Orientation Panther Prep Leader, Aug. 2003, Aug. 2004
• College Players, Member Oct. 2002 – May 2003
• FIRST Robotics Competition, Member Sept. 2000 – June 2001, Co-Head Sept. 2001 – June 2002
• US Space Academy and Advanced Space Academy in Huntsville, AL, Summers 1997 - 2000
Skills and Certifications
• Operating Systems: Windows 95 / 98 / 2000 / XP, Macintosh, UNIX
• Software: Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Pagemaker, Macromedia Dreamweaver
• Computer Languages: C++, HTML
Honors and Awards
• Strathmore’s Who’s Who, 2005 – 2006
• Student Ambassador of the Year, 2004 – 2005
• Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges, 2005
• Florida Tech Student Leader of the Year, 2003 – 2004
• Phi Eta Sigma national honor society, April 2003
• Florida Tech Trustee Scholarship, 2002 – 2006
• The Agnes Irwin School, Graduate with High Honors, June 2002
Hobbies and Interests
Reading, writing, photography, movies, space, the beach, the Internet, traveling, history, researching, and volunteering my time to help others.
Personal Statement
Nature is God’s canvas, and the night sky is the blank page where my dreams are composed. As an active college student with a busy life, it is so easy to get caught up in everyday mundane happenings and worries. But the sky calls me, calming me when I glance upon it, filling my mind with endless dreams, questions and wonders. I work relentlessly so that I may one day contribute to the questions posed by scientists and children alike. Where did we come from? What is out there? Are we alone?
Instinctively and passionately I explore these questions and more, always a scientist, inquiring what, why, when and how. With years more of schooling ahead of me to reach my educational goal, I find I do not mind. Learning should never cease. Questions should always be in our minds. I will always pursue the human purpose of discovering and appreciating divine creations.
