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Based on what you know now, what is your best piece of advice for other students?

Don't worry so much. Enjoy your time in college, hang out with friends, join study groups. There is so much at ����ֱ�� and in life to enjoy so don't get caught up stressing about the little things.

Why did you choose to study physics or engineering physics?

I chose to study physics because I was enamored by the physical world. I really wanted to learn why and how everything worked down to the most fundamental level. This desire and curiosity led me to the physics department at ����ֱ��.

Where are you headed after graduation?

I am headed to McGill University to pursue a PhD in Condensed Matter Physics.

Why did you choose to study physics or engineering physics?

I quickly fell in love with physics in my first high school physics class. I still remember the very first lab I did and I never looked back. With every class here at ����ֱ�� I've gotten to see more of the beauty and incredible work in science, and I hope I get to keep doing physics for the rest of my life!

Where are you headed after graduation?

After graduation I'm going to continue my studies, with a masters program in material science from the University of Rochester.

What does graduating from college represent for you?

Entering college, I didn't have all the AP credits or come from a background of physicists; nor was I comfortable meeting new people or sharing my ideas. And yet, I have led the student group COSMOS, worked my research position, and even started the legacy of the Undergraduate Research Expo – all in four years. My graduation from physics with honors means more to me than what you can put on a CV. It represents the proof that you can end better than you started: by remaining dedicated to pursuing passions, seeking out advice and help, and above all having faith even when things look bleak.

Where are you headed after graduation?

I am headed to the University of Washington in St. Louis, to study topics in supermassive black hole accretion alongside Professors Chen and Yuan and ultimately earn my PhD in Physics.

From your time at ����ֱ��, what will you carry with you into your next chapter?

Certainly the content of knowledge but especially the connections and friendships.

What was your research focus?

I studied colloids dispersed in ferronematic liquid crystals. Only recently have polar liquid crystals been discovered. Colloidal dispersion's are found everywhere from paint to milk. I studied sphere and disk colloids withing the novel polar liquid crystal. They exhibited unique topological structures, anomalous diffusion, and self assembly.

What does graduating from college represent for you?

It represents a giant leap towards a person who I have sought to be since childhood. Someone who can better appreciate the logic and beauty of the universe and navigate with curiosity and wisdom.��

Based on what you know now, what is your best piece of advice for other students?

Make sure you enjoy your work. Don't compromise on your mental health because a PhD can be the biggest chapter of your most productive years.

Where are you headed after graduation?

Applications in the industry, research and development in quantum technologies.

What was your research focus?

Improving the accuracy of an optical lattice atomic clock at NIST, one of the few most accurate clocks in the world, by engineering a device to shield the clock atoms from thermal radiation.

From your time at ����ֱ��, what will you carry with you into your next chapter?

At ����ֱ�� Boulder, my curiosity didn’t just survive – it thrived. This next chapter of my life is guided by that same curiosity, now sharper and more ambitious than ever.

Based on what you know now, what is your best piece of advice for other students?

Lift others as you climb. Lead with compassion, and the rest will follow.

What does graduating from college or graduate school represent for you?

Graduating represents the sacrifices my family made to get me here. From my grandparents migrating from México and enduring the cultural shift to create opportunity for future generations, to my parents working multiple jobs to provide for us, while still showing up for me every step of the way – this is for them.��

From your time at ����ֱ��, what will you carry with you into your next chapter?

I have met some of the greatest people at ����ֱ��. Professors, friends, and coworkers have helped me grow into a scientist and engineer. We’ve shared lots of great memories and gone on some awesome adventures in the last four years.

Why did you choose to study engineering physics?

I chose to major in engineering physics because it offered the perfect blend of engineering and physics, allowing me to pursue my passion for both. This program has not only deepened my understanding of these fields but has also equipped me with the practical skills needed to excel in the workforce.

Where are you headed after graduation?

After graduation, I'll be backpacking across Europe for three months! Once I return, I'll jump right into my career as a Systems Engineer at The MITRE Corporation, where I interned during my senior year. I worked on a variety of projects that involved radar and satellites, and I look forward to continuing this work!

Based on what you know now, what is your best piece of advice for other students?

Ask questions! Things that seem obvious to others may be more complex than meets the eye. Asking for help allows both you and the person you ask to strengthen your knowledge!

Why did you choose to study physics?

As cliché as it sounds, I’ve wanted to be a scientist since I watched Star Trek with my parents when I was growing up. Carrying out atomic physics experiments sometimes feels like science fiction, but it’s better than that, because we can use our results to help develop scientific facts!

Where are you headed after graduation?

I will move to the United Kingdom and work as a Quantum Scientist at a company called Oxford Ionics. My doctoral research used trapped ions to observe quantum mechanical phenomena. I will use the skills and knowledge I gained during my studies to help research and develop quantum computing technology based on trapped ions.

Based on what you know now, what is your best piece of advice for other students?

Read the text, as it really gives you that extra knowledge for the subjects and often gives you that extra equation that makes your life way easier.

Where are you headed after graduation?

Rejoining the United States Air Force, as it was great times before college and hopefully will be a great time after college.

Based on what you know now, what is your best piece of advice for other students?

If you are doing reserch try to do multiple projects so that you can get a feel for what you want to keep doing. It is also useful to try to go to different types of institutions so you can see what life is like outside of academia.

What was your research focus?

At ����ֱ��, I did research in precision time keeping for navigation positioning and timing applications. I worked on a new scheme to improve Rubidium optical clocks.

Where are you headed after graduation?

I will be pursuing my PhD in physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the Fall.

Based on what you know now, what is your best piece of advice for other students?

Make friends in the department, and lean on each other for support. You're all in this together.

Why did you choose to study physics?

I always liked learning about the more exotic parts of physics like black holes and quantum mechanics when I was younger, but I always saw myself as an engineer. When I applied to my undergraduate program, I entered the college of science and arts, with the intention of transferring to the engineering school later. I ended up liking my classes in physics my first year, and so I put off transferring to engineering until it was much too late, and so I sort of ended up becoming a physicist on accident.

What does graduating from college or graduate school represent for you?

It represents a meaningful step forward for my family, who immigrated from Japan to Brazil, and now I have the opportunity to honor their sacrifices by graduating from an outstanding American university.

What was your research focus?

I conducted research with the Andreas Becker group at JILA, where I worked on extending a theoretical framework to characterize electric fields with attosecond durations. My contributions focused on modeling and reconstructing ultrafast pulse trains using two-photon autocorrelation signals, particularly in regimes where conventional techniques are ineffective due to the high photon energies involved.

Why did you choose to study physics?

The idea that we can grasp the workings of the universe through physics and mathematics is both fascinating and, to me, a fundamental part of what it means to be human.