UAH - College of Science - News - ��ԭ��Ʒ

Reaching for the Stars: How Sophia Vanderwaal is Shaping Her Future in Physics

2025-08-20T13:30:27-05:00

Sophia Vanderwaal, a senior physics major at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), is helping push the boundaries of astrophysics. Under the mentorship of Dr. Sukanya Chakrabarti, the Pei-Ling Chan Endowed Chair in the College of Science at UAH, Vanderwaal has conducted research on pulsars as galactic accelerometers, an experience she describes as both transformative and deeply rewarding.

In addition to research, Vanderwaal plays an active role around the UAH campus. “You’ll find me working at the front desk in the Advising Office some days. I’ve been a student specialist there for almost two years now,” she says. “Other days, you'll probably still find me in the Materials Science Building. I'm always in there.” This semester, she’ll also begin working as a tutor in the Student Success Center.

Sophia Vanderwaal presenting her reserach at the Fermi National Acceelerator Laboratory, or Fermilab, located near Chicago.

Sophia Vanderwaal

Not only is Vanderwaal an active student employee, but she is heavily involved in UAH student organizations. “I serve as the Outreach Officer for the Astronomy Club (a role I’ve held since sophomore year), and I’ve recently taken on the challenge of reviving our Society of Physics Students chapter, which had been inactive for a while.”

These experiences have not only deepened her academic journey but have also shaped her experience as a physics major. “Being involved on campus has helped me build a strong physics community,” she explains. “I’ve met friends, mentors, and other students who share similar interests. That support system has made my experience as a physics major a lot more enjoyable.”

Vanderwaal’s interest in physics began at an early age. “Back in sixth grade, I was an overachiever who loved science and math, and I told everyone I was going to be an astrophysicist,” she said. A stargazing trip to the Grand Canyon deepened that early curiosity for Vanderwaal. “There was virtually no light pollution and the sky was really clear that night, and I was completely blown away by what I saw.” While she didn’t love her algebra-based physics class in high school, her talent for math and long-standing passion for the cosmos led her naturally to a physics major at UAH. Now, as she begins her final year, she’s exploring graduate schools and research opportunities around the country.

"Talk to your professors," is the advice offerred by senior physics major Sophia Vanderwaal, who had the opportunity to travel to Chicago and present her research.

Sophia Vanderwaal

Her journey into research began at UAH after taking AST 106: Exploring the Cosmos with Dr. Chakrabarti. AST 106 is an introductory astronomy course that emphasizes the quantitative aspects of physical phenomena in the universe. Topics include the motions of celestial bodies, the development of astronomy, gravity and motion, light and telescopes, properties of gases and radiation, the Earth and Moon, eclipses, and a survey of the solar system. “I reached out to her for advice during my sophomore year, and she ended up welcoming me into her research group!” Vanderwaal explained. “I worked with her and her postdoc, Dr. Donlon, for a little over a year.”

Together, Vanderwaal and Dr. Donlon focused their research on pulsars, which are rapidly spinning neutron stars with precise electromagnetic signals. “I helped assess their timing characteristics to better understand how their magnetic fields contribute to the rate at which their spin periods slow down. I was even a co-author on one of their published papers earlier this year!,” Vanderwaal excitedly tells us.

UAH physics major Sophia Vanderwaal, discusses her reserach on pulsars as galactic accelerometers with Dr. Rainer Steinwandt, Dean, ��ԭ��Ʒ of Science.

Sophia Vanderwaal

That experience laid the groundwork for a prestigious summer research opportunity. “This past summer, I had the opportunity to research at Fermilab, one of the Department of Energy’s national labs near Chicago,” she says. “I got to dive into neutrino physics and develop a particle identification algorithm for one of the detectors.” That experience, she explains, helped her discover her niche. “It ended up being a really important experience for me, because it helped me find my research niche in high energy physics, a field that doesn’t have much of a local presence back home in Huntsville.”

Managing classes, jobs, research, and leadership roles requires intentional structure. “I’m already a pretty organized person, which definitely helps,” Vanderwaal says, while explaining her daily process. She relies on Google Calendar, frequent to-do lists, and a personal notebook system to stay on track. “One of the biggest things that helps is starting assignments well before they’re due. That gives me time to explore the material, ask questions, and work through challenges without feeling overwhelmed or rushed.”

Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Vanderwaal is a first-generation college student. “No one in my immediate family has completed a four-year degree,” she shares. “Even so, I’ve always felt incredibly supported, especially by my mom and stepdad.” While she now calls Huntsville home, she still stays closely connected to her family. “I try to visit home about once a month, and honestly I FaceTime them pretty much daily. I’m surprised they’re not sick of me yet.”

After graduation, Vanderwaal plans to pursue a Ph.D. in physics. “I’m primarily looking at programs with strong high energy physics research groups,” she said. “I’m also hoping to do another summer research experience at a national lab, like I did this past summer. This time, though, I might stay a little closer to home, maybe at Oak Ridge National Lab.”

"The ��ԭ��Ʒ of Science offers a vast array of opportunities for undergraduate reserach. Sophia Vanderwaal traveled to London as an undergraduate student to present her physics reserach.

Sophia Vanderwaal

For other students considering a physics degree at UAH, Vanderwaal offers both encouragement and realism. “First: it’s okay to change your mind. Undergrad is all about discovery, so try out research areas you don’t think you’ll like. You might be surprised by what actually excites you.” She also emphasizes the importance of building relationships. “Talk to your professors. Seriously. They’re just people, and most of them WANT to talk to students.” And, she adds with a laugh, “don’t take Quantum Mechanics and Electricity & Magnetism in the same semester if you can avoid it. It's tough.”

UAH welcomes 21 new faculty members as 2025-26 academic year begins

2025-08-19T08:08:21-05:00

��ԭ��Ʒ (UAH) welcomes 21 new faculty members to its ranks as the 2025-26 academic year begins with the start of classes on Aug. 20. UAH is a part of The University of Alabama System.

Jackson Griggs Pursues Medicine with Purpose Through UAH and Rural Internship Opportunities

2025-08-14T16:23:58-05:00

Jackson Griggs is a student at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) who is double majoring in biological sciences and psychology with a chemistry minor. On the pre-health track, Griggs balances a demanding academic schedule with a variety of extracurricular pursuits, including running for UAH’s cross country and track teams and leading worship at his church. Originally from Rainbow City, Alabama, he is shaping his path toward a future in medicine.

Griggs’s decision to attend UAH is rooted in both academic opportunity and personal growth. Through the Honors College, SOAR Club (Serving, Organizing, Advocating, and Reflecting), and athletics, he finds ways to develop skills that go far beyond the classroom. “These organizations have been great because they allowed me to meet many new people who are a lot different than me,” he explains. “As someone who wishes to become a doctor, it is incredibly important that I can communicate and work together with others who may look different or hold different values than I do.”

He adds that balancing these commitments alongside a rigorous academic schedule has prepared him for the demands of medical school. “These campus organizations have also been a great way for me to learn how to manage my time and efforts wisely while also maintaining a high academic standard. This skill is also incredibly important to have regardless of the career you wish to have but especially going through med school.”

Griggs’s motivation to pursue medicine is deeply personal. “I love people, and I love to solve complex problems,” he says. After spending significant time in the hospital as a child, Griggs was struck by the empathy and knowledge his doctors demonstrated. “Seeing the way the doctors showed empathy towards me while utilizing their vast knowledge of medicine to diagnose and treat my illness made me realize later in my life that I wanted to do the same thing.”

While he hasn’t chosen a specialty yet, Griggs knows he wants to serve where he’s needed most. “I do know that I want to address the shortage of physicians practicing in rural communities by working in a rural area of Alabama,” he says.

That mission led him to apply for the Huntsville Rural Premedical Internship (HRPI), a summer program offered through UAB. The program allows students from rural Alabama communities to shadow physicians in Huntsville and their home regions, attend medical lectures, and receive direct mentorship.

“This program really inspired me because of my goal of practicing medicine in a rural community where there is a great need,” Griggs says. “During my internship I gained so much knowledge about practicing medicine, communicating with patients, and making myself a great applicant for med school. I also was exposed to so many doctors that I wouldn’t have ever had the chance to meet otherwise. The HRPI program definitely confirmed that rural medicine is the direction I want to take my life when I graduate.”

Griggs credits UAH’s Office of Pre-Health Professions Advising with supporting his goals from the beginning. “The UAH Pre-Health Advisors have been crucial in my journey through my undergraduate,” he says. “They helped me create a four-year plan of which classes to take and when in order to be best prepared for the MCAT and even offered multiple free MCAT mock exams on campus. They are the reason I took part in my summer internship because they announced it to every pre-health student as a great program to apply to.”

Though his high school didn’t offer a pre-health club or program, Griggs found early inspiration in his science courses. “My incredible high school chemistry and biology teachers Mr. Patton and Mr. Russell did greatly influence my love for science and provide me a solid foundation of understanding that has allowed me to perform well in my college chemistry and biology classes,” he says.

At UAH, one class in particular stands out: Cell and Developmental Biology with Dr. Bradley Kraemer, an Associate Professor in the Biological Sciences Department. “The way he lectures lets you truly see how passionate he is about his field, and when a professor is that passionate about science it is hard not to grow to be just as excited as well to learn,” Griggs explains. “These parts of his lectures were my favorite because it really bridged the gap between learning lots of information about seemingly small parts of your body and then applying that knowledge in a way that heals people.”

For prospective students considering UAH’s pre-health track, Griggs offers clear advice:

“Don’t just declare your interest in healthcare. Demonstrate it by shadowing and volunteering with physicians and healthcare workers. Meet patients where they are in the places they are being treated, and learn how to have empathy and compassion towards them. Participate in research in a field you are passionate about.”

He adds that UAH and Huntsville together offer unique advantages. “If your goal is to demonstrate a love and passion for healthcare through observing, volunteering, and researching there is no better city than Huntsville and no better college than the University of Alabama in Huntsville to meet these goals,” Griggs says. “UAH has all the resources you could wish for and a group of advisors and administrators who will do whatever it takes to see you take advantage of these opportunities and succeed in whichever healthcare path you wish to take.”

Shaping the Future of AI: Elijah Shannon Leads Research and Student Innovation

2025-08-14T09:40:45-05:00

Elijah Shannon, a senior at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) majoring in computer science, is helping define the future of artificial intelligence. As the founding president of the newly established Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Club, Shannon’s journey reflects a long-standing passion for research, sparked by an early interest in computers and coding.

Shannon is currently working on a self-designed Honors Capstone research project under the mentorship of Dr. Chaity Banerjee-Mukherjee, an Assistant Professor in the computer science department. Driven by the growing presence of misleading AI-generated content online, Shannon set out to develop a method for detecting such content - deciding that the most effective way to combat AI deception is through AI itself.

"Performing all steps of the research process myself with direction from Dr. Banerjee-Mukherjee, I conducted a thorough literature review, utilized modern state-of-the-art machine learning techniques, generated datasets for verification and validation, and am working on compiling the results into my capstone as well as a publishable conference paper,” Shannon says.

Shannon explains that the rise of AI online has led to increasingly realistic and convincing content. His research aims to ensure that data on the internet maintains integrity for all users, meaning AI generated content is labelled or filtered before arriving to an end-user. “I believe that, when used correctly, artificial intelligence can be a huge asset to expedite processes and can greatly improve efficiency. It is hard to predict how something so new with such an impressive growth rate will shape our world, but it is very exciting to be able to watch,” he adds.

When asked about the biggest challenges in his research, Shannon says it was stepping beyond established computer vision and generative techniques to explore newer, emerging methods. “This challenge has provided an excellent opportunity to learn and find footing for future research as well as advancing my current project,” he says.

Shannon’s early interest in computers led his parents to sign him up for a coding camp in middle school. After the camp, he spent time teaching himself the programming language Python at his home in rural Leoma, Tennessee. In high school, Shannon attempted to create a statistics-based chatbot for the messaging platform, Discord. “While the program was definitely flawed,” he says, “It provided a newfound appreciation and passion for artificial intelligence.”

Funded by the Airforce Research Laboratories (AFRL) Elijah Shannon worked under Dr. Mukherjee and his Ph.D. student Timothy McCorry to design and implement swarm robotics methodologies for an interactive, customizable, and scalable testbed for radio frequency (RF) research.

Coming from a high school with only around 400 students, the transition to a university was initially daunting for Shannon, who chose to attend UAH during his senior year of high school due to the advanced space and defense industry in Huntsville. Determined to “keep up” with peers from larger, more academically rigorous schools, he entered freshman year with a strong drive to succeed.

“I found myself feeling behind everyone else,” Shannon reflects. “However, this did not demotivate me.”

“When I began to take Calculus A at UAH, I felt incredibly behind the other students who had previously taken calculus and seemed to breeze through the course,” Shannon says, explaining that his high school hadn’t offered the course.

“Instead of feeling defeated, I took this as a challenge and strived to earn top marks,” they explains. Shannon ultimately excelled in the class. “I finally felt like I had ‘caught up.”

“UAH has given me the opportunity to prove to myself that I belong in advanced academic and professional spaces, regardless of my background,” he says.

Shannon’s determination didn’t stop at academics. In addition to his research, he quickly became involved in student leadership, founding the Data Science and AI Club to connect like-minded students and grow a community around cutting-edge technologies.

“The core purpose of the club is to create a student group to share resources, participate in competitions, and create a community for students interested in data science and artificial intelligence,” Shannon says. As founding president, he has recruited members, led meetings, invited guest speakers, and offered instruction to those new to the field.

“My passion for the art of artificial intelligence development has grown tremendously over the past three years at UAH, and I took on the presidency with the intent to share that passion with people who are interested,” he says.

The experience has also allowed Shannon to hone professional skills that he sees as essential to his future career. “Overall, my time as the President of the Data Science and AI Club has allowed me to share my excitement for the field of AI, and it has honed skills that will inevitably boost my performance in a workplace,” he explains.

Outside of the club, Shannon is also deeply involved in the Honors College and the computer science department, both of which have played roles in his academic and personal growth.

“I applied to the UAH Honors College shortly after being accepted to UAH, and this action has impacted my UAH journey tremendously,” he says. Through the Honors College, Shannon found a network of highly motivated peers and quickly immersed himself in opportunities on campus.

He has served as both an IT Intern and an Honors Ambassador, eventually becoming Co-Lead Ambassador. As IT Intern, he upgraded and streamlined systems for the college, while gaining exposure to valuable campus resources like undergraduate research, academic advising, and graduate school preparation. “The position provided the ideal steppingstone from my small hometown to the technologically advanced city,” he says.

As an ambassador, Shannon says he enjoys talking with new students. “Conversing with potential and incoming students enhanced my ability of public speaking and conveying information effectively,” he notes.

Shannon’s academic journey took a decisive turn at the end of his sophomore year when he joined Dr. Tathagata Mukherjee’s Data Science and Cybersecurity Lab to gain research experience. There, he helped design a swarm robotics testbed system for radio frequency research, funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).

This experience sparked a deeper interest in research that set Shannon on a new career trajectory. “I gained many fundamental skills necessary for academics to create and analyze research: conducting thorough literature reviews, applying methodologies in new and creative ways, identifying areas for improvement, and producing documentation,” he says.

Though he originally planned to pursue a career in software engineering, Shannon now has his sights set on academia. “As I have worked closely with professors on multiple research projects, I have discovered my love of research and pushing the boundaries of possible,” he says. “All in all, my research participation and design has led me to desire to pursue my Ph.D. in Computer Science and become a professor.”

Throughout his time at UAH, mentorship has played a crucial role in Shannon’s development. He credits Dr. Dr. Banerjee-Mukherjee and Dr. Mukherjee for guiding him through multiple research endeavors and offering continued encouragement. He also acknowledges the influence of Ms. Gina Battle and Ms. Jennifer Staton from the Honors College for helping him build both technical and professional skills.

“Between these academics and staff, I have found connections that offer invaluable advice for my career and research trajectory,” Shannon said.

Staying current in the fast-moving tech world is no small task, but Shannon maintains a focused approach, pointing out the many subfields in computer science. “I try to keep up to technical date with my niche subfield, and I like to have a more general overview of advancements in other Computer Science fields,” he explains. He reads daily updates from the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and keeps a close eye on new publications in his research area.

For students considering the computer science program at UAH, Shannon has a clear message:

“My advice to potential Computer Science students at UAH is short… do it! UAH has great resources, motivated professors, and awesome connections to industry,” he said. “The return on investment to UAH’s degree program, in my experience, has been incredibly worth it. With close connections to local industry and potential for flourishing as an academic, UAH’s Computer Science department has excellent conditions and potential to help a motivated individual excel.”

UAH hosts students from Germany and Southeastern U.S. at International Space Weather Camp

2025-08-13T08:08:21-05:00

��ԭ��Ʒ (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System, recently welcomed students from across the Southeastern U.S. and Germany to the International Space Weather Camp (ISWC), a two-week immersive program exploring space weather science and its global impacts.

UAH researcher wins $681K NSF CAREER award to study the interaction of shockwaves and solar wind turbulence in the sun’s heliosphere

2025-07-24T08:08:21-05:00

Dr. Lingling Zhao, an assistant professor in the Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR) at ��ԭ��Ʒ (UAH), has been awarded a $681,356 National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award. The project will run through June 2030 and aims to advance the theoretical and observational understanding of how low-frequency magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence interacts with shocks in the heliosphere – a vast, bubble-like region of space carved out by the solar wind from the sun.

UAH first-of-its-kind study shows air quality data derived from megacities are not accurate when applied to U.S. urban centers

2025-07-23T08:08:21-05:00

Researchers at ��ԭ��Ʒ (UAH) have published a paper in the Nature journal Communications Earth & Environment that demonstrates for the first time that using data gathered on atmospheric particles from Chinese megacities to characterize air quality for U.S. urban centers leads to significant inaccuracies.

UAH student group Electric Propulsion Club wins first place at 2025 AIAA conference for new satellite propulsion system

2025-04-08T13:08:21-05:00

The Electric Propulsion Club at ��ԭ��Ʒ (UAH) won first place at the 2025 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Conference Region II Student Conference in Raleigh, N.C.

UAH students receive prestigious national scholarships, fellowships in spring 2025

2025-07-07T07:08:21-05:00

Nine undergraduate and graduate students at ��ԭ��Ʒ (UAH) received national scholarships and fellowships during the spring 2025 semester.

Exciting Discoveries and Future Missions Highlight 22nd Annual International Astrophysics Conference in Spain

2025-06-24T17:05:46-05:00

The 22nd Annual International Astrophysics Conference (AIAC), held this year in the historic city of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, brought together leading scientists from across the globe to discuss the latest breakthroughs and challenges in solar wind and local interstellar medium physics. The conference, known for its focus on the universality of physical processes in space plasma physics, drew researchers, students, and mission scientists for a week of presentations, collaboration, and enlightened dialogue.

At this year’s conference, there were exciting updates from several space missions, including NASA’s Parker Solar Probe (PSP), which completed its closest-ever approach to the Sun on December 24, 2024. This landmark event, along with the upcoming Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) and HelioSwarm missions, served as focal points for many of the presentations and discussions.

“There were very exciting results from the NASA Parker Solar Probe mission that is exploring the deepest parts of the Sun's atmosphere,” says Dr. Gary Zank, the director of the Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR), the Aerospace Rocketdyne endowed chair of the Department of Space Science (SPA) at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), and the director of AIAC. “These exciting results are shedding light on how the atmosphere of the Sun is heated to well over 1 million degrees, which has been an enduring mystery for over 100 years. Several of our UAH scientists and students were deeply involved in some of these results.”

Attendees listen to scientific discussions and research presentations at the 22nd Annual International Astrophysics Conference.

The AIAC emphasized how distinct yet complementary missions are reshaping our understanding of the Sun and its environment. Zank noted that while Parker Solar Probe investigates the solar wind’s origins near the Sun, IMAP will observe related phenomena near Earth, offering insights into space weather that impacts satellite operations and global communications.

“These are all entirely different missions,” Zank explained. “Parker Solar Probe is exploring the origins of the solar wind, including the generation of shock waves, structures, the driving of magnetized turbulence, accelerating highly energetic particles,and more. All of these will be measured and observed by IMAP at the location of the Earth, and this will feed into our deeper understanding of Space Weather.”

Zank says this has important implications for Earth-bound satellites that are important for communications, navigation, military situational awareness and more. “IMAP is also exploring the boundaries of the solar wind where the solar wind meets the local interstellar medium, which has nothing to do with PSP.”

“HelioSwarm, on the other hand, will be exploring the nature of magnetic turbulence in the solar wind at very small scales. This is typically created in situ by larger scale processes within the solar wind, and these can originate low in the Sun's atmosphere where PSP is exploring,” Zank explained. “Furthermore, HelioSwarm is a configuration of 9 spacecraft unlike the single IMAP and PSP spacecraft, meaning that the kinds of measurements, multi-point, will be completely different. So all of these considerations informed and influenced conversations and scientific directions at the AIAC.”

One of the defining themes of AIAC - the universality of physical processes such as turbulence, magnetic reconnection, and shock acceleration - was clearly reflected throughout the presentations.

“Certain processes such as turbulence and magnetic reconnection or particle acceleration by shock waves or magnetic islands exist throughout the universe and not just in the solar wind or the Sun's atmosphere,” Zank says. “These processes occur around other stars, in the interstellar medium, and even in different galaxies.”

The conference served as a launchpad for new collaborations and interdisciplinary exploration, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas between early-career researchers and seasoned experts.

“Collaborations and interdisciplinary work are a feature of a conference of this kind -- the meeting is designed to facilitate students and researchers engaging and discussing their work and identifying areas of common interest and where progress and new breakthroughs can be made," says Zank.

Held in Santiago de Compostela, the location itself added to the unique atmosphere of the meeting.

“By being located in a single hotel and having the opportunity to meet in a beautiful, vibrant and culturally rich city means people from all scientific backgrounds and fields want to attend the meeting. This allows one to create a scientifically highly diverse meeting which makes transdisciplinary interactions possible,” Zank says.

Looking ahead, the AIAC is already setting its sights on new frontiers in heliophysics and interstellar studies.

“Every spacecraft that goes to a new region or environment or makes new kinds of measurements, whether multipoint or at unexplored scales, will make exciting discoveries that create new frontiers,” Zank says. “NASA's IMAP will launch in September of this year and we can expect groundbreaking discoveries almost immediately. This will undoubtedly be a major theme of next year's AIAC meeting.”

Zank also shared words of encouragement for prospective students eyeing careers in space science.

“As evidenced by the number of students applying to the program, the opportunities to attend meetings like the AIAC, to be constantly at the frontiers of space science research working with world-class faculty make the Space Science graduate program one of the most exciting programs in the world,” he says.

With fresh insights and collaborative spirit, the global scientific community at the 22nd AIAC once again affirmed its reputation as a cornerstone event in the field of space physics.

UAH - College of Science - News - ����ԭ����Ʒ

Reaching for the Stars: How Sophia Vanderwaal is Shaping Her Future in Physics

UAH welcomes 21 new faculty members as 2025-26 academic year begins

Jackson Griggs Pursues Medicine with Purpose Through UAH and Rural Internship Opportunities

Shaping the Future of AI: Elijah Shannon Leads Research and Student Innovation

UAH hosts students from Germany and Southeastern U.S. at International Space Weather Camp

UAH researcher wins $681K NSF CAREER award to study the interaction of shockwaves and solar wind turbulence in the sun’s heliosphere

UAH first-of-its-kind study shows air quality data derived from megacities are not accurate when applied to U.S. urban centers

UAH student group Electric Propulsion Club wins first place at 2025 AIAA conference for new satellite propulsion system

UAH students receive prestigious national scholarships, fellowships in spring 2025

Exciting Discoveries and Future Missions Highlight 22nd Annual International Astrophysics Conference in Spain

UAH - College of Science - News - ��ԭ��Ʒ