TIMESTEP LEADERS

A group of amazing astronomy and physics undergraduate seniors and juniors who have volunteered to lead meetings/discussions and help us improve the TIMESTEP program

If you’re a UA undergraduate and would like to be a TIMESTEP leader please email us at :  timestepUA@gmail.com


We further have an amazing group of TIMESTEP Mentors: UA graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty who have supported this program throughout the years. 

We finally thank our guest speakers who have brought their professional expertise to enable our programming.


2023-2024

TIMESTEP Leaders, 2023-24


TIMESTEP Meeting Mentors:   


Internship Panel  Jan 31 2024

Chance Lawrence

Gabe Weible

Anthony Jimenez Young

Travis Matlock

Bryson Walker


Internship Resume Editing Feb 28 2024

Ann Zabludoff (Astronomy)

Vikram Manikantan (Astronomy Grad)


Gap Year Planning (Feb 21 2024)

Avichal Kaul (UA Alum, 2023)

Olivia Pitcl (UA Alum, 2023)

Aaron Goldtooth (UA Alum 2022, UA Grad)

Charlie Goldber (UA Alum 2023)

Harrison Bradley (UA Alum 2022)


Resume Workshop (Feb 7 2024)

Destry Saul (Senior Software Engineer, NOIRLab, PhD Asro)

Munier Salem (Data Scientist Stripe, PhD Astronomy )

Robert Marcus (Software Engineer, Google, UA Alum, PhD Astronomy)

Mike Garcia (Chief Engineer, Rincon Research)

Deandre Capati (Embedded Software Engineer Knightwerx, UA Alum Comp Sci, TIMESTEP Intern)



Advice about Graduate School Application Process Oct 4 2023

Andrew Youdin (Astronomy)

Brian LeRoy (physics)


Graduate School Student Panel  Oct 18th 2023

Akash Satpathy (UA Alum)

Alexia Kubas (UA Alum)

Danielle Dickinson (UA Alum)

Felix Pat (UA Alum)

Hill Tailor (UA Alum)

Jackson Zariski (Applied Math UA Grad Student)

Van Butcher (UA Alum)


Grad School Application Review Oct 25 2023

Don McCarthy

Eduardo Rozo (Physicsc)

Kevin Hainline

Virginie Faramaz

Tim Eifler

Sukrit Ranjan (LPL)

Richard Green

Rob Kennicutt

Brittany Miles

Carlos Vargas

Nathan Smith

Serena Kim

Kaitlin Kratter

Tyler Robinson (LPL)

Travis Barman (LPL Assoc. Head)

Misha Chertkov (Applied Math)

Chad Bender

Koen Visscher (physics)

John Schaibly (physics)


Undergrad Research Opportunities Panel Nov 8 2023

Sarah Stamer (Astro/Physics)

Tintin Nguynen (Astro/Physics/Applied Math)

Ansh Gupta (Astro/Physics)
Gabe Weible (Astro/Physics)
Christian Martinez (Astro)

Jonathan Moreland (Applied Physics)


2022-2023

TIMESTEP Leaders, 2022-23


TIMESTEP Grad Leaders, 2022-23



TIMESTEP Meeting Mentors:     

Advice from Graduating Seniors (April 15th 2023)

Jay Motka

Olivia Pitcl

Cyrus Worley

Avichal Kaul

Peter Hartman

Max Cabrera

Rianne Kooi

Mika Lambert


Presenting Your Research (March 22nd 2023)

Sarah Stamer

Tintin Nguyen

Jay Motka

Binh Nguyen


Academic Adjacent Careers (April 5th 2023)

Alex Stoken  (UArizona Alum)

Rachel Smullen (UArizona Graduate Student Alum)

Kayli Glidic (UArizona Alum)

Tyler Baines (UArizona Alum)

Christina O’Donnell (UArizona Graduate Student Alum)


Gap Year Planning (Feb 22nd 2023)

Aaron Goldtooth (UArizona Alum, Incoming Astro Grad Student)

Joe Adamo (Current Grad Student in Astronomy)

Quadry Chance (UArizona Alum)

Ewan Douglas (Astro Faculty)


Resume Workshop (Feb 8th 2023)

Megan Kiminki (UA Astronomy Grad Alum, Amadeus)

Robert Marcus (UA Astronomy Alum, Google)

Karen Olsen (CIBO Technologies)

Munier Salem (Stripe)

Destry Saul (NOIRLab)


Careers in Industry Panel (Feb 1st 2023)

Chris Foster,  IR Labs

Hui Du,  Ampcera & MSE Supplies

Carl Cox,  Madden Media

Nicholas Chung, Neurovascular Research and Design

Joel Huebner,  Rincon Research Corporation

Cassie Bodin (UArizona Alum),  Moog

Sahand Sabet,  Revolute Robotics

Philip MacDuff, Securaplane


Undergrad Research Application Review (Week of Jan 25th 2023)

Chad Bender

Gurtina Besla

Chi-Kwan Chan

Richard Green

Erika Hamden

Dan Marrone

Don McCarthy


Undergrad Research Workshop (Jan 18th 2023)

Jialin Li (Astro Grad, Grad Facilitator) 

Jasmin Washington (Astro, Grad Facilitator) 

Erik Wessel (Phys, Grad Facilitator)


Student Research Panel (Nov 9th 2022)

Featuring the TIMESTEP Leaders and moderator Jasmin Washington

Aliyah Postell

Amanpreet Singh

Hina Goto

Jay Motka

Olivia Pitcl

Sarah Stamer

Tintin Nguyen


Defining and Understanding Neurodiversity (Nov 30th)

Virginie Faramaz (Astro)

Lyric Holmans (Guest Speaker)


Graduate School Application Review (Oct 9th and 16th 2022)

Gurtina Besla (Astro)

Tim Eifler (Astro)

Virginie Faramaz (Astro)

Richard Green (Astro)

Erika Hamden (Astro)

Serena Kim (Astro)

Brian LeRoy (Physics)

Nicole Melso (Astro)

Stefan Meinel (Physics)

Brittany Miles (Astro)

Vasilis Paschalidis (Astro)

Nathan Smith (Astro)

Carlos Vargas (Astro)

Eduardo Rozo (Physics)


Graduate School Overview Discussion 

Brian Leroy (Physics)

Vasilis Paschalidis (Astronomy)


Graduate Student Panel (Oct 5th 2022)

Jasmin Washington (Current UA Astro Grad) - Panel Moderator

Akash Satpathy (Class of 2022)

Jimmy Lilly (Class of 2020,  Astronomy and Physics)

Massimo Pascale  (Class of 2019, Astronomy, Physics and Math)

Joe Adamo (Current UA Astro Grad) 

Maggie Smith (Current UA Physics Grad)

Steven Wright (Class of 2020, Astronomy and Physics)



Student Resources Speakers (Sep 7th 2022)

Astronomy Club- Mika Lambert

Physics Club- Peter Hartman

ATOMM- Daniel Lawther

GEMS- Lily Whitler

Diversity Journal Club- Samantha Scibelli

Women in Physics- Rachel Nieken

Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter & Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab- Vannessa Gressieux

oSTEM- Carson Collins & Neha Joshi

WISE (Women in Science and Engineering)- Gabriela Perez Laurent

SECD- Tintin Nguyen


Guest Speakers

Dr. Sherard Robbins (Visceral Change, Allyship and Advocacy Sep 27th 2022)

Dr. Tom Rice (AAS, Careers in Education Chat on Nov 17th 2022 )

Dr. Miki Nakajima (University of Rochester, Nov 22nd 2022 at APASA)

Lyric Holmans (Understanding Neurodiversity, Nov 30th 2022) 


2021-2022

Undergraduate TIMESTEP Leaders :


Graduate Student TIMESTEP Discussion Leaders :

    Maggie Smith (Physics)

    Elaheh Hayati (Physics & Astronomy)


TIMESTEP Meeting Mentors:     

Guest Speakers:

Dr. Nia Imara (UCSC)

Dr. Sarah Tuttle (U. Washington)


Graduating Seniors Panel (April 27th 2022)

Kayli Glidic

Alexia Kubas

Akash Satpathy

Sai Krishnanth


Neurodiversity Discussion (Mar 30th 2022)

Presenters:

Sally Lyke (UA senior)

Dr. Sarah Tuttle (U. Washington)


Gap Year/Bridge Program Panelists (Feb 16 2022):

Marina Dunn (Class of 2018)

Kaylah McGowan (Class of 2021)

Jose Perez (Class of 2020) 

Alex Stoken (Class of 2019)


Industry Panel (Feb 23rd 2022)

Cassie Bodin (MOOG, UA Class of 2020), 

Carl Cox (Madden Media),

 Meredith Danowski (Ball Aerospace), 

Brie Finegold (Rincon Research), 

Chris Fry (Rincon Research), 

Hao Xin (Lunewave)


Editors of Student Resumes (Mar 2 2022):

Dr. Ewan Douglas (Astro Faculty)

Dr. Chi-Kwan Chan (Astro Faculty)

Dr. Gurtina Besla (Astro Faculty) 

Chris Fry (Rincon Research)

Peter Corrgian (UA Handshake)


Faculty Editors of Student Research Applications (Jan 26 2022):

Astronomy, Physics Faculty:

Dr. Ann Zabludoff

Dr. Don McCarthy

Dr. Carlos Vargas

Dr. Eduardo Rozo

Dr. Tai Kong

Dr. Gurtina Besla

Dr. Ewan Douglas


Navigating the First 2 Years of the Major, Undergraduate Student Panel (Sep 8 2021):

 Mika Lambert (UA undergrad)

 Binh Nguyen (UA undergrad)

 Akash Satpathy (UA undergrad)

 Cyrus Worley (UA undergrad)


Undergraduate Research Panelists (Dec 1 2021):

Hina Goto (UA Astronomy & Physics Major)

Jay Motka (UA Astronomy & Physics Major)

Kai Soriano (UA Physics & Math Major)

Reynier Squillace (UA Astronomy & Physics Major)


Graduate Student Panel (Oct 5 2021)

    Haley Bowden (UA grad Astronomy)

    Alia Hamdan (UA grad, Physics)

    Aafaque R. Khan (UA grad, Astronomy)

    Kunal Lobo (UA grad, Physics)

    Maria Mutz (UA grad, Physics)

    Jocelyn Rios (UA grad, Math)

    Jasmin Washington (UA grad, Astronomy)


Faculty Editors of Student Graduate School Applications (Oct 2021):

Astronomy, LPL, Physics Faculty:

Dr. Gurtina Besla 

Dr. Melissa Brucker

Dr. Haeun Chung

Dr. Ewan Douglas

Dr. Tim Eifler

Dr. Virginie Faramaz

Dr. Alyson Ford

Dr. Richard Green

Dr. Kevin Hainline

Dr. Rob Kennicutt

Dr. Serena Kim

Dr. Elisabeth Krause

Dr. Brian LeRoy

Dr. Don McCarthy

Dr. Ed Prather

Dr. Ilaria Pascucci

Dr. Nathan Smith 

Dr. Weigang Wang

Dr. Carlos Vargas

Dr. Ann Zabludoff




2020-2021

Undergraduate TIMESTEP Leaders :

- Leaders of Research Experience Discussion (Dec 9th : Bianca, Sai, Kayli, Jan 13th: Danielle)

- Leaders of the Graduating Senior Panel Discussion (Bianca) and Panelist (Danielle) 

- Volunteers for Astrocharlas: Spanish Language Public Talk Series (Bianca)


TIMESTEP Meeting Mentors: 

Guest Speakers:

Dr. Dione Rossiter (Attending SACNAS, Science Communication Workshop Jan 29th 2021)

Dr. Kirk Barrow (Stanford)

Dr. Kate Daniel (Brynmawr)

Dr. Anthony Pullen (NYU)


Gap Year Panel (Feb 10 2021):

Alex Stoken (UA Alum)

Ryan Carlson (UA Alum)

Drew Weldon (UA Alum)


Resume Editing (March 24 2021):

Cassie Bodin (UA Alum)

Colin Hauch (UA Alum)

YuanJea Hew (UA Alum)

Mike Garcia (Rincon Research)


Careers in Industry (Feb 24th 2021)

Cassie Bodin (UA Alum)

Colin Hauch (UA Alum)

Brie Finegold (Rincon Research)

Chris Fry (Rincon Research)

Meredith Danowski (Ball Aerospace)


Graduating Seniors Panel

Bianca Payan (Organizer; UA Undergrad)

Danielle Dickinson (UA Undergrad)

Kaylah McGowan (UA Undergrad)

Shavonne Morin (UA Undergrad)

Savannah Gramze (UA Undergrad)


Research Opportunities Panel (Dec 9th 2020):

Kayli Glidic (UA undergrad)

Sai Krishnanth (UA undergrad)

Bianca Payan (UA undergrad)

Dr Carlos Vargas (UA Steward Postdoctoral Fellow)


Attending Conferences Presenters:  

Grads: Katie Chamberlain, Sam Scibelli 

Undergrads: Sydney Brandt

Alumni: Jose Perez Chavez (Class of 20), Emily Walla (Class of 20)

Guests: Dr Dione Rossiter 


What it’s like to be a Graduate Student Panel

Jenny Calahan (UA undergrad Astronomy & Physics, Class of ’18)

Quadry Chance (UA undergrad Astronomy, Class of ’18)

Sasha Safonova (UA undergrad Physics, Class of '17)

Dr Tom McClintock (UA grad Physics)


Overview of the Graduate School Application

Grads: Katie Chamberlain, Hayden Foote

Faculty: Dr. Dan Marrone, Dr. Brian LeRoy


Editors of Student Graduate School Applications:

Astronomy & Physics Faculty:

Dr. Peter Behroozi

Dr. Richard Green

Dr. Kevin Hainline

Dr. Erika Hamden

Dr. Don McCarthy

Dr. Vasileios Paschalidis

Dr. Eduardo Rozo

Dr. Nathan Smith 

Dr. Ann Zabludoff


Editors of Student Undergraduate Research Applications:

Dr. Chi-Kwan Chan

Dr. Richard Green

Dr. Kevin Hainline

Dr. Kenneth Johns

Dr. Tai Kong

Dr. Mike Lesser

Dr. Don McCarthy

Dr. Vasileios Paschalidis

Dr. Nathan Smith

Dr. Shufang Su

Dr. Weigang Wang






2019-2020

Undergraduate TIMESTEP Leaders :

- Volunteers for the Spanish Astronomy Public talk series (Jimena, Jose, Bianca)

- Leaders of Research Skills Discussion (Jimena, Jose)

- Leader of Internship Discussion (Shitij) 


TIMESTEP Meeting Mentors: 

Guest Speakers:

Dr. Keith Hawkins (UT Austin)

Dr. Jorge Moreno  (Pomona College)


Graduate Student Panelists:  

Rachael Amaro, Pedro Espino, Jennifer Kadowaki, Spencer Scott

Discussion Leaders:  Jennifer Lumbres


Gap Year Planning Discussion Leaders: 

Marina Dunn (Class of 2018),  Tyler Baines (Class of 2018) & Junellie Gonzalez-Quiles


Meeting Leaders :

Dr. Dan Marrone (Grad School Overview)

Dr. Brian LeRoy (Grad School Overview)


Carl Cox (Madden Media: Internships in Industry)

Brie Finegold (Rincon Research:  Internships in Industry & Resume Workshop)

Chris Foster (IR Labs: Internships in Industry)

Chris Fry (Rincon Research:  Internships in Industry & Resume Workshop)

Mike Garcia (Rincon Research: Resume Workshop)

Justin Langlois (WorldView: Internships in Industry)

Dan Roskey (Rincon Research: Internships in Industry)

David Smith (Resume Workshop)



Workshop Mentors: 

Dr. Peter Behroozi (Grad School Application Workshop)

Dr. Ewan Douglas (Grad School Application Workshop)

Dr. Erika Hamden (Grad School Application Workshop)

Dr. Tim Eifler (Undergrad Application Workshop)

Dr. Elisabeth Krause (Undergrad Application Workshop)

Dr. Brian LeRoy (Grad School Application Workshop)

Dr. Srin Manne (Undergrad Application Workshop)

Dr. Don McCarthy (Grad School Application Workshop)

Dr. Vasilis Paschalidis (Grad School Application Workshop)

Dr. Nathan Smith (Grad School Application Workshop)

Dr. George Rieke (Grad School and Undergrad Application Workshop)

Dr. Ann Zabludoff (Grad School Application Workshop)





2018-2019

Undergraduate TIMESTEP Leaders: 


Co-I   Holly Brown  (Academic Advisor for Astronomy & Physics)


TIMESTEP Meeting Mentors: 

Guest Speakers:

Dra. Gloria Delgado Inglada (UNAM)

Dr. Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz (UC Santa Cruz)

Dr. Sherard Robbins (Visceral Change)



Graduate Student Panelists:  

Rachael Amaro, Jane Bright, Katie Chamberlain, Rixin Li, Carolyn Raithel, Samantha Scibelli, Charity Woodrum


Graduate Student Application Reviewers:   

Kevin Wagner, Dr. Jordan Stone


Meeting Leaders :

Dr. Kaitlin Kratter (Grad School Overview)

Dr. Brian LeRoy (Grad School Overview)

Dr. Carlos Vargas  - Research Strategies and Reading Academic Papers

Dr. Jennifer Andrews - Presenting at Academic Conferences  




2017-2018

Undergraduate TIMESTEP Leaders: 

Graduate Meeting Leaders:  amazing group of postdoctoral fellows and graduate students who have helped lead meetings and run workshops.

Co-I   Holly Brown  (Academic Advisor for Astronomy & Physics)


TIMESTEP Meeting Mentors: 

Guest Speakers:

Dra. Nicole Cabrera Salazar (Movement Consulting)

Leah Fulmer (Navigating Gap Year)

Dr. Jenny Greene (Princeton)

Dr. Renee Hlozek (U Toronto)

Dr. Sally Oey (U Michigan)

Dr. Sherard Robbins (Visceral Change)


Graduate Student Panelists:  

Gabriele Bozzola, Ryan Boyden, Nicolas Garavito Camargo, Tom McClintock, Christine Muccianti, Ekta Patel, Ragadeepika Pucha, 


Meeting Leaders :

Dr. Kaitlin Kratter (Grad School Overview)

Dr. Koen Visscher (Grad School Overview)

Dr. Paola Pinilla 

Dr. Jennifer Andrews (Attending Conferences)




2016-2017

Undergraduate TIMESTEP Leaders:  

Rafia Bushra, Quadry Chance


Graduate Student Panelists: 

Melissa Halford, Michael Hammer, Ekta Patel, Rachel Smullen, Ya-lin Wu


Meeting Leaders :

Dr. Kaitlin Kratter (Grad School Overview)

Dr. Brian LeRoy (Grad School Overview)

Nicolas Garavito Camargo (GitHub Overview)

Ekta Patel (GitHub Overview)


Guest Speakers:

Dr. Nia Imara

Dr. Ana Maria Rey

Dr. Risa Wechsler

© Gurtina Besla 2017