About Me
Hi, I'm Sammy! Below I share a few things about myself. Feel free to read on to get to know me a bit better.
Research Interests
My primary research interests lie in reflected light direct imaging of exoplanets and Solar System science.
My main PhD work focused on developing analysis tools and precursor science
for future direct imaging missions (like the
Roman Coronagraph and
the Habitable Worlds Observatory).
My PhD dissertation focused on understanding how we can leverage orbital phase and color to detect and characterize planetary bodies
from exoplanets to asteroids. I am interested in how an exoplanet's orbital phase and atmospheric composition
can assist in "deconfusing" directly imaged multi-planet systems and inform our reflected light observations. I am also passionate about leveraging
observations of our neighboring Solar System planets for exoplanet analog studies.
You can read more about my research here.
My cats!
My partner and I have two cats, Leo (orange) and Piper (white/gray), who are objectively the sweetest cats in the world. They love nothing more than to cuddle, snooze in the sun, and dictate what time we go to sleep.
Traveler
I love to travel around the world both to share science and for non-academic purposes!
I have compiled some of my favorite pictures from my travels in the photo gallery on this website.
I have many more trips on my list — so stay tuned!
Foodie
I love food! I love to cook, bake, and try new restaurants/cafes. I particularly enjoy learning about the science behind cooking.
This photo is from 3Quarti in Rome, where I had some of the best pasta I've ever had.
I also share some of my meals and the new places I try on my
Instagram.
Hiking & Camping
I love being outdoors. My favorite experiences are when I'm hiking on a mountain or in the woods. I try to take advantage of any opportunity I get to hike. I am also on a personal quest to visit every U.S. National Park.
Embroidery
One of my favorite stress-relieving crafts is embroidery! I picked this up a few years ago and find it now to be a great break from work and screens. I really enjoy embroidering pieces for my friends and family, especially small ornaments around the holidays. I recently also started embroidering designs that correspond to each of the National Parks that my partner and I have visited together.
Musician
I have been playing piano off and on for almost 20 years, although mostly off nowadays (turns out pianos are not the most small-apartment-friendly instrument). My heart has always been with the piano, but I also picked up trumpet 13 years ago and played through undergrad.