News

Graduate School announces Entry Point! partnership

Cay Leytham-Powell — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 18:57:09 +0000

Graduate School announces Entry Point! partnership Cay Leytham-Powell Fri, 02/27/2026 - 11:57

This AAAS program will allow the Graduate School to better target students with disabilities for its longstanding SMART program

The Graduate School’s Office of Graduate Access and Retention (GAR) is one of the 2026 partners for Entry Point!, a nationally recognized, signature program of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the organization announced last month.

Beginning in summer 2026, Entry Point! will partner with GAR’s long-standing Summer Multicultural Access to Research Training (SMART) program, a summer research program that helps get students from historically excluded backgrounds access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) research.

Through this partnership, GAR will expand recruitment for SMART and increase access and consideration for talented STEM students with disabilities who are exploring doctoral pathways at 91��ý.

“This partnership helps us reduce structural barriers, enhance recruitment and cultivate supportive academic communities that recognize disability as a valued dimension of diversity in STEM,” said Christina Alston, director of the Office of Graduate Access and Retention. “We’re very excited for what this will allow us to do.”

"This partnership helps us reduce structural barriers, enhance recruitment and cultivate supportive academic communities that recognize disability as a valued dimension of diversity in STEM."

The AAAS Entry Point! program was created in response to the realization that students with disabilities, even those with strong academic records, were not getting hired as part of the talent pool for STEM employment. Since the program’s inception in 1996, 85% of alumni now work as scientists and engineers who have inspired new ideas, supported innovation and advanced new research.

Entry Point! does that by connecting industry, government and university partners with highly qualified STEM students with disabilities for paid summer placements and research-based internships. This year, they will be partnering with GAR and the SMART program to intentionally recruit qualifying students to take part in the 10-week long summer research program.

Since the SMART program launched in 1989, hundreds of undergraduate students from around the country have participated. During their time at 91��ý, the students get placed in prominent laboratories, and provided with the necessary training, skills and experience to pursue graduate study through weekly, provided coursework as part of a one credit hour undergraduate course. Additionally, participating students complete a research project, which they present at the end of the program.

The hope is that the program will create a pathway where students can see themselves pursuing a STEM graduate education. Over the years, it’s estimated that roughly half of participants have gone on to attempt a MS or PhD at 91��ý and elsewhere.

GAR will also be working closely with Disability Services and faculty across STEM disciplines to ensure that all the recruited students through this partnership—regardless of background, disclosure status or accommodation needs—are supported, accommodated and welcomed into inclusive STEM research environments where students feel they belong.

This year’s SMART program will run from Monday, June 1, to Friday, July 31, with a campuswide poster session on the final day that’s open to the public.

More information about SMART and upcoming recruitment opportunities will be shared with the campus community as the partnership continues to develop.

This AAAS program will allow the Graduate School to better target students with disabilities for its longstanding SMART program.

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91��ý launches Sloan Scholars program

Cay Leytham-Powell — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 23:27:32 +0000

91��ý launches Sloan Scholars program Cay Leytham-Powell Mon, 02/09/2026 - 16:27

This program will use a recently awarded grant for systemic change from the Alfred P. Sloan foundation to recruit and retain highly qualified STEM doctoral students

The Graduate School at the University of Colorado Boulder has a long-standing commitment to supporting the university’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs and to recruiting and preparing the next generation of scientists and engineers. A new grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, which was announced recently, will advance that work further.

The Sloan Center for Systemic Change implementation grant provides funding for the formation of the Sloan Scholars program, a new initiative for doctoral students in certain STEM departments. Through this program, the Graduate School, in partnership with units around campus, will intentionally recruit, enroll and support highly qualified doctoral students as they navigate their way to graduation and beyond.

"We’re proud to partner with units across campus to support their work as they help students succeed. This grant opens up exciting new opportunities, and I’m eager for what we’ll be able to accomplish together."

Building off work already underway from a previous seed grant to promote systemic change, this program aims to identify and remove entrenched barriers to graduate student success, improve student outcomes, and create educational environments that are more effective and support every graduate student.

“The Graduate School is very excited about the Sloan Scholar program and what this means for our doctoral STEM students,” said E. Scott Adler, dean of the Graduate School, vice provost for graduate affairs and the principal investigator on the grant. “Mentorship, inclusion and student well-being have long been among our priorities, and this grant allows us to improve that access and the services that we offer by cultivating a sustainable framework that we can use for years to come.”

One of the goals of the Sloan Center for Systemic Change implementation grant is to identify and remove existing challenges within doctoral programs that can hamper student success. With this funding, 91��ý will work with faculty and participating departments to improve pathways and access to support across campus so that graduate students can more confidently navigate the system and earn their degree.

During the initial seed grant from Sloan, six departments—chemical and biological engineering, ecology and evolutionary biology, environmental studies, astrophysical and planetary sciences, integrative physiology and computer science—were provided professional development and planning to strengthen graduate student mentoring in a structured and intentional way, and to identify and remove barriers to student success. They will now play host to the initial Sloan Scholars when they come to campus.

With this new funding from the Sloan Foundation, the Graduate School will also expand that program to more STEM departments.

None of this would have been possible, Adler said, without the support of other units around campus, including the College of Arts and Sciences, the Office of Leadership Support and Programming, the Center for Teaching and Learning and the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

“We’re proud to partner with units across campus to support their work as they help students succeed,” Adler said, adding, “This grant opens up exciting new opportunities, and I’m eager for what we’ll be able to accomplish together.”

More information about the program, including an announcement about the first cohort of students, will be available soon.

This program will use a recently awarded grant for systemic change from the Alfred P. Sloan foundation to recruit and retain highly qualified STEM doctoral students.

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From the Dean: Join me Feb. 18 for a conversation with the provost

Cay Leytham-Powell — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 23:13:25 +0000

From the Dean: Join me Feb. 18 for a conversation with the provost Cay Leytham-Powell Wed, 02/04/2026 - 16:13

This event will be an opportunity to ask the provost questions and engage in a dialogue about your graduate education

To join

Date: Feb. 18

Time: 3 to 3:55 p.m.

Location: Zoom

Dear graduate students,

I’d like to invite everyone to join me in a conversation with Provost Ann Stevens on Feb. 18, from 3 to 3:55 p.m., via Zoom.

This virtual event is your chance to meet our new provost, ask questions about your graduate education, and engage in a dialogue regarding the activities of the Graduate School and Academic Affairs at 91��ý.

Registration for the event is not required and a separate Zoom link will be sent directly over email. I hope you can attend, and I look forward to hearing your ideas, concerns or questions. Thank you for all that you do for 91��ý.

Take care,

Scott Adler

Dean of the Graduate School
Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs

This event will be an opportunity to ask the provost questions and engage in a dialogue about your graduate education.

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Announcing the 2026 Three Minute Thesis Winners

Cay Leytham-Powell — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 02:47:03 +0000

Announcing the 2026 Three Minute Thesis Winners Cay Leytham-Powell Thu, 01/29/2026 - 19:47

Eleven students participated in this year’s final competition for a chance at prize money and a chance to represent 91��ý at the regional competition.

Artificial intelligence (AI) news anchors, the detection of hazards in water, and improving the structure of nanocrystals were a few of the topics presented during the ninth annual Three Minute Thesis Competition on Jan. 29, 2026.

This event challenges graduate students to craft a three-minute elevator pitch for their complex—and sometimes difficult to make sense of—research in a way that even an everyday person could understand.

This year, the eleven competitors did just that to a packed Glenn Miller Ballroom and a panel of judges who evaluated the competitors on comprehension, content, engagement and communication.

“Now, more than ever, it’s of vital importance that the public understand the valuable work that our researchers and scholars are doing every day, and how it can impact them in meaningful and lasting ways, and the Three Minute Thesis competition allows for graduate students to do just that,” said Scott Adler, dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate affairs. “Congratulations to all of the graduate students that participated in this year’s competition and to those that won. You all did amazing and make me proud to be your dean.”

The 2026 winners are:

First Place

Loraine Loretta B. Smith Glidewell, teacher learning, research and practice, From Fish guts to Fireflies: Finding the Magic of Rural Education in Pre-Service Teacher Learning

Second Place

Mackenzie Bowden, environmental engineering, Detecting Hidden Hazards in Our Water

People’s Choice

Loraine Loretta B. Smith Glidewell, teacher learning, research and practice, From Fish guts to Fireflies: Finding the Magic of Rural Education in Pre-Service Teacher Learning

Smith Glidewell is only the second person in 91��ý's history to win both 1st place and People's Choice. She will receive $2000 in prize money and will represent 91��ý at the Western Association of Graduate Schools competition. Bowden will also receive $750 in prize money.

This year's judges include Lori Bergen, dean of the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information; Sammy Ramsey or "Dr. Sammy," an assistant professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and a science communicator who is an international 3MT winner; Leopold Beuken, an assistant teaching professor in robotics and a former 91��ý 3MT finalist; and Aaron Brockett, City of Boulder mayor. Bud Coleman, professor emeritus and former chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, was the event’s emcee.

More information about the 2027 Three Minute Thesis Competition will be available on the Three Minute Thesis competition web page this fall.

Eleven students participated in this year’s final competition for a chance at prize money and a chance to represent 91��ý at the regional competition.

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Know before you go: Three Minute Thesis final competition, Jan. 29

Cay Leytham-Powell — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 21:10:38 +0000

Know before you go: Three Minute Thesis final competition, Jan. 29 Cay Leytham-Powell Fri, 01/23/2026 - 14:10

This annual event, which showcases graduate student’s ability to distill their nine-hour thesis down to three minutes, comes back Jan. 29 at 4 p.m.

What is the best way to distill a multitude of information into just three minutes?

That’s the question that 11 graduate students will be wrestling with as part of the Graduate School’s ninth annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) final competition, which will be held in the University Memorial Center’s Glenn Miller Ballroom on Jan. 29, 2026, from 4 to 6 p.m.

This event challenges students to explain their thesis to the general public. They are then evaluated by a panel of judges from across the university and Boulder community. Winners of the event will be announced at the end of the program and the audience will have the opportunity to vote for the People’s Choice award.

While the event is free and open to the public, space is limited and registration is required for in-person attendance. The event will also be live-streamed.

If you go

Date: Jan. 29, 2026

Time: 4 to 6 p.m.

Location: University Memorial Center’s Glenn Miller Ballroom

This year’s competitors include:

Muhammad Ali, journalism, "AI Anchors, Real Concerns: Journalism at Crossroads"
Yorick Andeweg, physics, "From Pendulums to Atoms: How to Keep Clocks Ticking Without Disturbing Them"
Mackenzie Bowden, environmental engineering, "Detecting Hidden Hazards in Our Water"
James Cannon, aerospace engineering, "Measuring Electron Puddles in our Atmosphere"
Rosanna Garris, biochemistry, "How Cyanobacteria Solve the Carboxysome Puzzle"
Loraine Loretta B. Smith Glidewell, teacher learning, research & practice, "From Fish Guts to Fireflies: Finding the Magic of Rural Education in Pre-Service Teacher Learning"
Ben Hammel, materials science and engineering, "Looking at Nanocrystals"
Laurie Lawson, information science, "'That’s Not How I Remember it' We’re Lost in Translation"
Krithik Ranjan, creative technology and design, "Lights, Camera, Interaction! Designing for Creative Computational Thinking"
Phani Arvind Vadali, civil, environmental and architectural engineering, "The Challenge of Electrification: Light Through SABER"
Shreya Venkatesh, mechanical engineering, “Breast Cancer in Bone: A Vicious Cycle of Destruction”

The 3MT competition began in 2008 when the state of Queensland, Australia, suffered from a severe drought. To conserve water, residents were encouraged to time their showers, and many people had a three-minute egg timer fixed to the wall in their bathroom. The then-Dean of the University of Queensland Graduate School, Emeritus Professor Alan Lawson, challenged graduate students to present their research in the same amount of time, launching what would become a global academic tradition.

At 91��ý, 3MT competitors are tasked with delivering a compelling, jargon-free explanation of their thesis in just three minutes using a single static slide.

To prepare, students participated in a series of fall-semester workshops focused on storytelling, writing, presentation skills, and improv comedy techniques. They then competed in a preliminary round, from which eleven finalists were selected to advance to the final competition. At the finals, participants will be evaluated by a panel of judges on comprehension, content, engagement, and communication.

The first-place winner of the competition will receive $1,500 in prize money and will have the chance to compete at the state and regional competitions as the University of Colorado Boulder’s representative. The runner-up and the People’s Choice winner, voted on by the live audience, will also receive prize money.

More information about the competition is available on the Graduate School's 3MT web page.

This annual event, which showcases graduate student’s ability to distill their nine-hour thesis down to three minutes, comes back Jan. 29 at 4 p.m.

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Announcing the Dean’s Alumni Fund from the Graduate School

Cay Leytham-Powell — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 18:24:07 +0000

Announcing the Dean’s Alumni Fund from the Graduate School Cay Leytham-Powell Tue, 12/02/2025 - 11:24

This new opportunity to donate will fund current graduate students at 91��ý

The Graduate School at 91��ý is pleased to announce the Graduate School’s Dean’s Alumni Fund, launching spring 2026.

This new giving opportunity will fund current graduate students as they navigate their experience at 91��ý, including providing funds for critical basic needs support, as well as general funding for students as they pursue their research, scholarship and/or creative work.

More information about the specifics of this new fund will be available in the spring.

This fund will be rolled out as part of CU Buffs All In, an annual giving day campaign. Beginning March 1, 2026, and culminating on a massive day of giving on March 31, this campaign is an opportunity for the 91��ý campus community to celebrate the impact of philanthropy through sharing stories and by giving back.

More information about giving to the Graduate School is available on the Graduate School website.

This new opportunity to donate will fund current graduate students at 91��ý.

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Save the Date for the 2026 Three Minute Thesis Final Competition, Jan. 29

Cay Leytham-Powell — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 15:46:21 +0000

Save the Date for the 2026 Three Minute Thesis Final Competition, Jan. 29 Cay Leytham-Powell Fri, 11/21/2025 - 08:46

This annual event, which challenges graduate students to distill their nine-hour thesis to just three minutes, returns to campus this spring

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) final competition, an annual event hosted by the Graduate School that showcases the creativity, communication skills and research excellence of 91��ý graduate students, will take place on Jan. 29, 2026, from 4 to 6 p.m., in the University Memorial Center’s Glenn Miller Ballroom.

Save the Date

Date: Jan. 29, 2026

Time: 4 to 6 p.m.

Location: UMC's Glenn Miller Ballroom

Eleven students will be competing in this event, which is free and open to the public but registration is required. This year's competitors include:

Muhammad Ali, journalism, "AI Anchors, Real Concerns: Journalism at Crossroads"
Yorick Andeweg, physics, "From Pendulums to Atoms: How to Keep Clocks Ticking Without Disturbing Them"
Mackenzie Bowden, environmental engineering, "Rethinking Water Risks: Making Sense of Chemical Mixture Effects"
James Cannon, aerospace engineering, "Measuring Electron Puddles in our Atmosphere"
Rosanna Garris, biochemistry, "How do cyanobacteria assemble the carboxysome puzzle?"
Loraine Glidewell, education, "From Fish Guts to Fireflies: Finding the Magic of Rural Education in Pre-Service Teacher Learning"
Ben Hammel, materials science and engineering, "Looking at Nanocrystals"
Laurie Lawson, information science, "'That’s Not How I Remember it' Investigating How Collective Memory is Lost in Translation"
Krithik Ranjan, creative technology and design, "Lights, Camera, Interaction! Designing for Creative Computational Thinking"
Phani Arvind Vadali, civil, environmental and architectural engineering, "The Challenge of Electrification: Light Through SABER"
Shreya Venkatesh, mechanical engineering, "Breast Cancer in Bone: A Vicious Cycle of Destruction"

At 91��ý, 3MT competitors are tasked with delivering a compelling, jargon-free explanation of their thesis in just three minutes using a single static slide.

To prepare, students were asked to participate in a series of workshops focusing on storytelling, writing, presentation skills and improv comedy techniques over the course of the fall semester. They then held a preliminary competition and whittled the competition down to the eleven finalists above who will compete at the final competition, where they will be evaluated on comprehension, content, engagement and communication by a panel of judges. This year's judges include Lori Bergen, dean of the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information; Sammy Ramsey or "Dr. Sammy," an assistant professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and a science communicator who is an international 3MT winner; Leopold Beuken, an assistant teaching professor in robotics and a former 91��ý 3MT finalist; and Aaron Brockett, City of Boulder mayor.

Recordings of past competitions, including of last year’s winner, Aoife Henry of electrical, computer and energy engineering whose presentation was “Directing Wind Turbines with Foresight: The Shepherd and the Sheepdog Find a Crystal Ball,” are available on the Graduate School website.

More information about the competition is available on the 3MT web page.

This annual event, which challenges graduate students to distill their nine-hour thesis to just three minutes, returns to campus this spring.

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91��ý graduate student named a Google PhD fellow

Cay Leytham-Powell — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 19:14:22 +0000

91��ý graduate student named a Google PhD fellow Cay Leytham-Powell Fri, 10/24/2025 - 13:14

Hye-Young Jo of computer science and the ATLAS Institute will be using the funding to research human-computer interactions

Hye-Young Jo, a PhD student in computer science, has been named a recipient of the 2025 Global Google PhD Fellowship, Google announced this week.

These fellowships recognize outstanding graduate students who are conducting exceptional and innovative research in computer science and related fields, specifically focusing on candidates who seek to influence the future of technology.

Jo, who is also part of the ATLAS Institute, will be using the support from Google.org to research human-computer interactions. She is only the second 91��ý student to receive the fellowship, and the first since 2022

“We strongly believe that supporting fundamental science leads to a generation of new knowledge, which fuels innovation and ultimately drives broad societal impact. We are excited to support the fellows’ work and see the profound impact they will have on the future of technology and the world,” Google said in its press release.

Google’s fellowship program provides vital direct financial support for PhD pursuits and connects each fellow with a dedicated Google Research Mentor, “reinforcing our commitment to nurturing the academic community,” Google said, adding:

“We look forward to partnering with them as they continue to become leaders in their respective areas.”

Jo is a member of Assistant Professor Ryo Suzuki’s Programmable Reality Lab. Jo’s recent research focuses on enhancing motion learning and digital content authoring through eXtended Reality (XR), AI and haptic technologies.

Jo holds a BFA in fine art (painting and media arts) from Seoul National University and an MS in industrial design from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology. Before getting into research, she worked as a film VFX (visual effects) compositor and XR generalist in the Korean film industry.

Since the PhD fellowship’s inception 16 years ago, Google has supported over 950 students globally, representing 44 countries and 227 institutions. This year’s fellowship will provide over $10 million to support 255 PhD students across 35 countries and 12 research domains, committing to a generation of researchers who understand that accelerating scientific discovery is vital to solving the world’s toughest challenges.

More information about the fellowship, including details on how to apply next year, is available on Google’s research website.

Hye-Young Jo of computer science and the ATLAS Institute will be using the funding to research human-computer interactions.

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2025–26 Three Minute Thesis competition application now open

Cay Leytham-Powell — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 21:40:24 +0000

2025–26 Three Minute Thesis competition application now open Cay Leytham-Powell Thu, 09/18/2025 - 15:40

Interested doctoral students must register by Oct. 8 to participate in this signature event

The application for the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition is now open for interested doctoral students.

3MT is an academic competition that challenges students to summarize their thesis in three minutes for a general audience and a panel of judges, who rate their performance. The first-place winner receives $1,500 and a chance to represent the university at the regional, national and international competitions. The second-place recipient, as well as the people’s choice, also receive prize money.

To participate, you must be a 91��ý doctoral student admitted to candidacy by December 1, 2025, and be enrolled for spring 2026 and expect to graduate in May 2026 or later. Graduates or alumni are not eligible. The deadline for registering is Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 11:59 p.m. 

Application closes Oct. 8

Apply Here

“Amazing research happens every day by graduate students, but it often flies under the radar. The Three Minute Thesis competition is an opportunity to showcase that creative and innovative work and the talented students that make it happen,” Scott Adler, the dean of the Graduate School, said previously.

The 3MT event began in 2008 when the state of Queensland, Australia, suffered from a severe drought. To conserve water, residents were encouraged to time their showers, and many people had a three-minute egg timer fixed to the wall in their bathroom. The then-dean of the University of Queensland Graduate School, Emeritus Professor Alan Lawson, decided to apply the same approach with his students in a first of its kind competition.

It has since spread across the globe, including to 91��ý. Since 2011 the popularity of the competition has increased and 3MT competitions are now held in over 900 universities across more than 85 countries worldwide.

Prior to 91��ý’s competition, which takes place every spring and is one of the Graduate School’s signature events, students participate in a series of workshops to improve their presentation and research communication skills, helping them to effectively (and succinctly) explain the significance of their research. These workshops also provide a chance for students to forge connections within a like-minded cohort from across the disciplines.

One such workshop or presentation scheduled for this year, among others discussing things like storytelling framework and improvisation techniques, is a science communication workshop by international 3MT winner and Marvin H. Caruthers Endowed Chair for Early-Career Faculty Assistant Professor  Samuel Ramsey. You can watch Dr. Sammy’s winning 3MT presentation here.

The Graduate School is hosting a virtual 3MT information session on Sept. 29 from 12-1 p.m. which will walk through the 3MT timeline, workshops, preliminary competition, and final competition details. For more information, including seeing the past winners, refer to the 3MT website. For all other questions, contact Hailey Herman at hailey.herman@colorado.edu.

Interested doctoral students must register by Oct. 8 to participate in this signature event.

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91��ý graduate student participates in women’s Rugby World Cup

Cay Leytham-Powell — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 16:02:49 +0000

91��ý graduate student participates in women’s Rugby World Cup Cay Leytham-Powell Fri, 08/22/2025 - 10:02

McKenzie Hawkins, a doctoral student in ATOC, reflects on balancing the sport with her studies, and why she does both.

Rugby has always been a part of McKenzie Hawkins’ life.

Ever since she was a toddler, she’s had a ball in her hands. Her father coached the sport in her hometown of Knoxville, Tenn., and was an avid fan, exposing her at a young age. Despite that, she didn’t join a team herself until she was 10 years old. And, once she did, never stopped.

“My parents always told me, ‘No pressure,’ (to play) just cause my dad coached. ‘No pressure on playing, you can always stop playing when you stop having fun,’” Hawkins recalls. “I actually still use that mantra now. I still feel like I’m enjoying the sport itself and so that’s what’s kept me in at this point.”

Fast forward to present day, Hawkins, who is a player for the Denver Onyx and a doctoral student in atmospheric and oceanic sciences (ATOC) at the University of Colorado Boulder, has joined the women’s Rugby World Cup team—for the second time.

Her first trip, though, didn’t quite go as planned. While she’d been part of the team, she never earned a jersey, which meant she never played on the field.

“It’s a thing in rugby culture to earn the jersey, and then when you get the jersey, you wear it for the game, and you try and leave the jersey in a better place for the next person who gets to wear it, which is really cool,” Hawkins says.

“There’s a lot of pride in earning your jersey and also passing it on to the next person who can wear it or keep it for as long as you can … There’s a lot of pride in making that 23 roster that gets to represent your country or your club.”

Not getting to see the field “fueled a lot of motivation for this one,” Hawkins says, adding: “When I decided to come back to the sport after that world cup, I knew that I was going to go all in with this one, and I’ve done pretty much everything possible that I can to make sure that I’m in the best spot to hopefully get a jersey once the world cup starts.”

And that work has paid off. Hawkins, who plays fly-half, has been named a starter in the first match against England on Aug. 22.

Whether or not Hawkins continues to play rugby after this year’s world cup is still up in the air, she says. One thing she does know, though, is that she wants to finish her degree at 91��ý.

It was during Hawkins’ time in Denver that she decided to pursue a PhD in ATOC. While she didn’t have a clear idea of what she wanted to study before joining, it was her time in Professor Peter Pilewskie’s research group that helped her find her way.

Her research uses Earth-observing data from the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics’ Compact Total Irradiance Monitor CubeSat, a small satellite that provides low-cost, space-based observations, to compare Earth observations from larger NASA satellites.

“Part of the reason I wanted to do a PhD is that I never want a younger girl to think that she’s limited to the things that she can do. ... For me, when I’m juggling doing rugby, and those training hours are a full-time job, and also doing a graduate program, I think about how we can’t be limited in what we do, and we should reach for the stars in everything that we want to do. That’s a big part of why I do both things.”

Hawkins hopes to use this information to potentially enhance Earth Radiation Budget records, or the data about the level of energy coming in from the sun with the amount going out from the Earth. This information, in turn, could be used to support future climate change policy and action, she says.

“I feel so lucky to be in this program. I couldn’t have found a better fit. I love my little group—the Pilewskie group—super supportive, and for me, it’s really nice to have a program that understands that I’m a person outside of what I do at school, and I think that the program really supports the holistic human,” Hawkins says.

“They support me being here (at the world cup) and having these experiences, because it also develops me as a person and me as a scientist as well. I feel very fortunate to be around the people that are in that program.”

Balancing the two endeavors, Hawkins says, has been tricky, but worth it.

“Part of the reason I wanted to do a PhD is that I never want a younger girl to think that she’s limited to the things that she can do,” says Hawkins.

“For me, when I’m juggling doing rugby, and those training hours are a full-time job, and also doing a graduate program, I think about how we can’t be limited in what we do, and we should reach for the stars in everything that we want to do. That’s a big part of why I do both things.”

McKenzie Hawkins, a doctoral student in ATOC, reflects on balancing the sport with her studies, and why she does both.

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