Curriculum Vita

Pdf version available here.

Research Interests

  • High-energy astrophysics
  • Accretion processes in x-ray binaries
  • Multiwavelength observations of accreting binaries

Education

  • 2002-2006: S.B., Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • 2007-present: Graduate Division, Astrophysics, University of California, Santa Cruz

Awards

  • 2008: National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention

Research Experience

Astrophysics

  • Summer 2003, MIT Haystack Radio Observatory
    National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates. Work on the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) performance simulator incorporated ionosphereic delays into the simulator code, and ranked candidate site performance.
  • Jan.-Dec. 2004, MIT Center for Space Research
    Analyzed Chandra HETG x-ray observations of of microquasar SS 433, and the jets of AGN NCG-4945 with Dr. Herman Marshall.
  • Dec. 2007-present
    Current work with Prof. David Smith analyzes RXTE x-ray spectra from black hole binaries LMC X-1, LMC X-3, and Cygnus X-1, to pinpoint unique x-ray signatures of wind accretion. Future work will create numerical models to study the hysteresis effect.

Condensed Matter

  • Jan.-May 2003, MIT Ultracold Hydrogen Group
    Worked as a lab technician to produce the next-generation apparatus used to create and measure properties of Bose-condensed hydrogen gas.
  • Jan. 2005-Jan. 2006, MIT Hudson Group
    Assembled portions of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) used for spin-detection in magnetically doped semiconductors. Designed a self-regulating cooling, cryogen-free STM.
  • June-Sept. 2007, University of California, Santa Cruz, Carter Group
    Measured quantum efficiencies, characteristic degradation times, and the effects of annealing on the electroluminescent materials ZnS:Cu, and ZnS:Cu,Mn.

Previous Positions

  • Spring 2006, Experimental Study Group (ESG) at MIT
    TA/Grader for freshman-level, calculus-based electricity and magnetism course.
  • Spring 2004, MIT ESG
    Created and taught a seminar on gender issues in academia.
  • Fall 2007, UC Santa Cruz
    TA for calculus-based freshman-level mechanics lab.
  • Winter 2008, UC Santa Cruz
    TA for algebra-based freshman-level mechanics lab.
  • March 2006- May 2007, MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW)
    Departmental Liaison to the Physics and Mathematics Departments. Worked with physics and math professors to publish their courses on OCW.

Publications

  • "Degradation and rejuvenation studies of AC electroluminescent ZnS:Cu,Cl phosphors," Stanley, Jiang, Bridges, Ruhlen, and Carter, Phys. Rev. B (submitted)