Astrophysics PhD Candidate (MIT)
MSc Space Science and Technology, Mitchell Scholar/Matt Fellow, (UCD)
BA Astrophysics/Mathematics, Science Research Fellow (Columbia)
Education
Barish-Weiss Fellow; Henry W Kendall Fellow, MIT, Cambridge, MA.
Ph.D. Candidate in Physics, MIT Physics Dept. Astrophysics Division (2023-present)
Mitchell Scholar ’23, University College Dublin, Ireland.
Masters of Science in Space Science and Technology, UCD Physics (2022-23)
Thesis: “Commercial Space Station Payloads Safety Review and Approval Process for Sierra Space Pathfinder Space Station Program”
Science Research Fellow ’22, Columbia University, New York, NY.
Bachelor of Arts in Astrophysics, Concentration in Mathematics, Dean’s List Honors (2018-2022)
Honors
Barish-Weiss Fellow (2023-2024) – MIT first-year graduate physics fellowship
Matthew Isakowitz Fellow (2023) – Matthew Isakowitz Commercial space sector internship and mentorship
Mitchell Scholar (2022-2023) – US-Ireland Alliance National scholarship supporting postgraduate studies in Ireland, 2022-2023
Science Research Fellow (2018-2022) – Columbia University Four-Year Fellowship for top science students
20 Twenties Laureate (2021) – Aviation Week Network’s top 20 aerospace young professionals
First Place Student Research Paper (2021) – AIAA SciTech Conference first place paper for astronaut tool designed for ISS and testing at NASA NBL
Research Experience
Graduate Research Fellow, MIT Polarimetry Lab
(August 2023-Present)
Studying structure and geometry of black holes and neutron stars using X-ray polarimetry from IXPE telescope and X-ray spectroscopy from telescopes such as NuSTAR. Operating beamline to test flight hardware for REDSoX (NASA soft X-ray polarimetry mission).
Principal Investigator, NASA SPOCS Mission, Johnson Space Center
(March 2020 – May 2022)
Led team of 20 in the design, construction, and testing of 1.5 U payload experiment Characterizing Antibiotic Resistance in Microgravity Environments (CARMEn), flown on SpaceX CRS-24 mission to ISS for a 30-day mission from December 2021 to January 2022.
Mission Director, NASA Micro-g NExT, Columbia Space Initiative
(August 2018 – May 2020)
Led a team of 6 in the design and construction of astronaut tools including a lunar sample coring device for the Artemis Mission and sharp-edge detection and removal tool for the International Space Station tested at NASA’s NBL.
Research Fellow, Center of Computational Astrophysics
(June 2019 – August 2020)
Create data-driven models of MaNGA galaxies using Milky-Way stellar spectra under Dr. Melissa Ness. Presented research poster at LSST 2019 National Conference.
Professional Experience
Payloads Safety Engineer, Sierra Space, Broomfield, CO
(June 2023 – August 2023)
Developed commercial payloads safety process for Pathfinder space station program that increases payload throughput by 46%, reduces approval time to 1/4 of current processes, and improves major areas of user experience. Matthew Isakowitz Fellow.
Resident Advisor, Columbia University, New York, NY
(August 2019 – May 2020)
Oversaw 2 floors and 40 undergraduate residents fostering interpersonal growth by organizing 30+ community events, solving resident issues, and designing monthly bulletin boards educating residents on diversity and health issues. Served as hall council treasurer and advising liaison managing budget of $2,000 for residence hall events, facilities maintenance, and student advocacy. Inducted into National Residence Halls Honorary (NRHH) King’s Crown Chapter.
Academic Service
PGSC Vice President of Admissions, MIT Department of Physics, Cambridge, MA
(August 2024-Present)
Serve as Physics Graduate Student Council (PGSC) Vice President of Admissions, facilitating fair and equitable admissions practices by hosting admissions webinars, organizing graduate application mentorship programs, and planning open-house-related events.
Community Service
PhysGAAP Mentor, MIT Department of Physics, Cambridge, MA
(October 2023 – January 2024)
Advised 2 MIT physics PhD applicants from underrepresented backgrounds on steps to completing an application and finding success in graduate school.
Volunteer, Sophie Gerson Healthy Youth, New York, NY
(2018 – 2022)
Developed and oversaw a semester-long ISS citizen science project for 150 underserved middle school students.
Created & taught 5-week space science and engineering curriculum in Middle School MS302 Spring 2022.
Organized culminating “Spaceposium” poster symposium for 150 middle school citizen scientists to present
posters at Columbia University’s historic Low Library to Columbia faculty, students, and staff. Served as astronomy camp counselor for 200 middle school students at Camp Zeke in August 2022.
Volunteer Elementary School Teacher, Reading Team Math, New York, NY
(2019 – 2022)
Taught weekly class to 20 first-grade students in Central Harlem using self-designed curricula and 1:1 tutoring.
Volunteer, Columbia Public Health, New York, NY
(2020 – 2021)
A Friend for Rachel Experiential Learning Project. Help people with early-moderate stage dementia to stay active, be involved in meaningful activity, develop new relationships, and avoid isolation through weekly zoom meetings.
Volunteer, Mt. Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY
(2019 – 2020)
Performed multicomponent nonpharmacological psychiatric interventions and evaluations, engaging with patients in medical and intensive care units through the Department of Psychiatry’s Hospital Delirium Program.
Swati 