What would grad school be without that defining moment when you are no longer considered a student, but rather a colleague? The moment when you have completed all the requirements and the committee decides that you are ready to be called doctor... Ahh, to be a PhD... And here are the friends who have achieved that significant milestone recently (2006-2007).
[ Dr. Lijun Gou | Dr. Avram Mandell | Dr. Miroslav Mićić | Dr. Britton Smith | Dr. Junfeng Wang | Dr. Bret Lehmer | Dr. Jiajian Shen ]
Lijun GouEmail: lijun @ astro.psu.eduURL: http://www.astro.psu.edu/users/lijun/Moved to: Harvard UniversityGraduated in: Fall 2007 (PostDoc) |
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Research Interests:
Gamma-ray bursts, massive star formation, AGN
Research Advisor:
Other Interests:
Soccer, books, music, travel, computer
Birthday:
May 5
Favorite Color:
Red
Alma Mater:
Nanjing University, China
Reasons for Choosing Penn State:
really nice environment
Avram (Avi) MandellEmail: mandell @ astro.psu.eduURL: http://www.astro.psu.edu/users/mandell/Moved to: NASA GoddardGraduated in: Fall 2007 (PostDoc) |
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Research Interests:
My research interests center around the detection and characterization
of extrasolar planets, specifically terrestrial-sized planets. I am
currently working at NASA Goddard on new detection methods for
extrasolar planets and observations of protoplanetary disks. I'm also
working on dynamical studies of the formation of terrestrial planets
in systems with migrating giant planets.
On a grander scale,
I'm interested in looking at the connections between planet formation
and the possibility of life, an important topic in the
interdisciplinary field of astrobiology (see the Penn State Astrobiology Research
Center web page for more information).
Research Advisor:
Steinn Sigurðsson, Michael Mumma (NASA/GSFC, Code 693)
Other Interests:
I seem to get involved in everything, ranging from sports (everything from soccer and tennis to skiing, snowboarding and ju-jitsu) to photography and theater. I'm currently trying to learn Spanish on the side, and I hope to get into mountain biking soon.
Birthday:
September 17
Favorite Color:
Dark blue
Alma Mater:
Vassar College
Reasons for Choosing Penn State:
Penn State astonomy is majorly underrated. The professors here are top quality, and there are so many interesting research opportunities it's hard to choose what you want to do. The extrasolar planet group is just ramping up, and new connections are forming with the NASA Astrobiology group in the Geoscience department. Overall, I was excited to get involved with a young, energetic group of researchers.
Miroslav MićićEmail: micic @ astro.psu.eduURL: http://www.astro.psu.edu/users/micic/Moved to: Vanderbilt University AstronomyGraduated in: Fall 2007 (PostDoc) |
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Research Interests:
Galactic dynamics and evolution, GW radiation
Research Advisor:
Other Interests:
Yes, please.
Birthday:
January 24
Favorite Color:
I like them all.
Alma Mater:
Belgrade University, Serbia & Montenegro (former Yugoslavia)
Reasons for Choosing Penn State:
Interracial studies and multi-ethnic research.
Britton SmithEmail: britton @ astro.psu.eduURL: http://www.astro.psu.edu/users/britton/Moved to: University of Colorado at BoulderGraduated in: Fall 2007 (PostDoc) |
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Research Interests:
early universe, star formation and structure formation in general, computational methods
Research Advisor:
Other Interests:
alphabetizing, ping pong, prime95, ska, swearing, hacking the mainframe, organizing, disorganizing, living in the past, motionlessness, writing Perl, haiku, reading slowly, grilling things, palindromes
Birthday:
August 16
Favorite Color:
blue, but I wear lots of red
Alma Mater:
University of Wisconsin
Reasons for Choosing Penn State:
a man, a plan, a canal, Penn State.
Junfeng WangEmail: jwang @ astro.psu.eduURL: http://www.astro.psu.edu/users/jwang/Moved to: Penn State AstronomyGraduated in: Fall 2007 (PostDoc) |
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Research Interests:
X-ray astronomy; cataclysmic variables; Something under exploring...
Research Advisor:
Eric Feigelson, Leisa Townsley
Other Interests:
Movie, Music, Mustang
Birthday:
August 21
Favorite Color:
Sky blue
Alma Mater:
Nanjing University, China
Reasons for Choosing Penn State:
My girlfriend and nice astronomy program here
Bret LehmerEmail: blehmer @ astro.psu.eduURL: http://www.astro.psu.edu/users/blehmer/Moved to: Durham University, UK, PhysicsGraduated in: Fall 2007 (PostDoc) |
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Research Interests:
deep surveys in extragalactic astronomy
Research Advisor:
Other Interests:
late-night mountain hikes, base jumping, musics, jogging, biking, lifting, shaving, sleeping, kingdom (twilight cruiser), nightlife
Birthday:
August 13
Favorite Color:
pink
Alma Mater:
University of Iowa
Reasons for Choosing Penn State:
the choice training facilities, gorgeous debutauntes, tantalizing mountains, within driving distance of several strong cities, aaaaand ...the only place to accept me :-(
Jiajian ShenEmail: shjj @ astro.psu.eduURL: http://www.astro.psu.edu/users/shjj/Moved to: Wayne State UniversityGraduated in: Fall 2007 |
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Research Interests:
Star and galaxy formation, interstellar medium, maybe others later
Research Advisor:
Donald Schneider, Daniel Vanden Berk
Other Interests:
fishing, swimming, soccer, basketball, cooking, dreaming
Birthday:
March 1
Favorite Color:
white
Alma Mater:
Beijing Normal University
Reasons for Choosing Penn State:
Our department is the fastest growing department in the nation, as I want to be one of the fastest growing students in astronomy, so I come here.
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