My current research interests lie in the field of atmospheric dynamics, where we seek to understand the fundamental physical processes governing the atmospheric circulation and weather phenomenon. By understanding the underlying mechanisms that produce events like heat waves, floods, tornadoes, tropical cyclones, etc. we can better predict how they might respond to a changing global environment.
Right now, my projects are focused around extreme orographic precipitation. Though understanding how precipitation may change moving into the future is generally very important, it is likely the rainiest events that will cause the most devastation, e.g. through flash flooding and landslides. My work seeks to investigate how the prescence of mountains and other topography modifies these heavy precipitation events. Mountains cause disturbances in the atmosphere called gravity waves that can enhance or suppress the vertical motion of the air. Since precipitation is tied closely with this vertical motion, the gravity wave structure can potentially be making rainy events even rainier. I am currently using simulations to investigate the role of the gravity wave in the most extreme orographic precipitation events, and I am using observational data to understand how the Appalachian Mountains may be enhancing the precipitation from hurricanes.
Before atmospheric dynamics, my research was in particle physics phenomenology. My work sought to uncover the nature of dark matter by connecting theoretical calculations to future experiments and searches.
Dark matter is a mysterious beast. We know it must exist (for example, from gravitational measurements), but we have yet to see it interacting with any “normal” matter (hence why we call it “dark”). Nevertheless, it remains one of the largest mysteries in modern physics, as dark matter makes up nearly 85% of all matter in the universe. In other words, we know next to nothing about 85% of all “stuff” in the universe!
Multi-track Displaced Vertices at B-Factories
Electroweak Axion Portal to Dark Matter
Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor (2024)
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (2023)
Goldwater Scholar (2022)
ARCS Scholar (2022)