Alumni Successes
Reaching For The Stars
All our featured alumni have participated in research, whether through Butler Summer Institute, National Science Foundation/Research Experiences for Undergraduates, research abroad, hands-on research or Independent Study directly with one of our Physics professors, as well as internships through various companies. These opportunities have prepared them to be successful in their chosen fields in either graduate school or gainful employment.
Click on any of the alumni names below to find out more about their success stories and what opportunities a Physics and/or Astronomy-Astrophysics degree might offer.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE PHYSICS
At Butler, Grant discovered a passion for making practical quantum computing a reality. In his sophomore year, Grant approached his professor with an interest in undergraduate research and they worked together to find a topic he was interested in. Grant was fortunate enough to participate in undergraduate research through the CHASE scholarship, where he worked on developing a practical quantum computing algorithm. This opportunity, along with the quantum theory coursework offered by the department, allowed him to find his passion for the subject. Grant’s interest led him to pursue graduate studies at Duke University, where he graduated with a master’s in electrical and computer engineering with a specialty in quantum computing. After graduating, Grant accepted a full-time position developing control software for trapped ion quantum computers at IonQ. He wouldn’t be where he is today in his dream job if he had not found his passion for quantum computing during his time at Butler. The physics department faculty, curriculum, and research opportunities enabled Grant to push himself and pursue a career he never knew he would enjoy. Grant is immensely grateful for his time in the Butler University Physics and Astronomy program.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE PHYSICS AND MATHEMATICS
As a Butler University graduate with a background in physics and math, Amanda is currently a Ph.D. candidate and Graduate Research Assistant in Virginia Tech’s Complex Systems Lab. In her pursuit of a degree in Engineering Mechanics, Amanda is pursuing research that models the behavior of lost individuals and search teams on wilderness landscapes. The innovative use of a multi-UAV system is at the heart of their efforts to bring positive changes to search and rescue operations. Amanda credits much of her success to Butler’s unwavering commitment to academic excellence and impactful research. The early opportunity to perform research through the Seitz Award was invaluable, and the solid foundation laid by the university’s rigorous physics curriculum has been crucial in tackling the challenges of graduate school.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS AND PHYSICS
Paul graduated from Butler University in 2016 with a BS in Physics and a BS in Astronomy. After graduating from Butler, he continued his education at Ball State University where he received a MS in Physics with a concentration in Astronomy. Currently, Paul lives in St. Louis and work for the US government, where he uses the data broadcast from GPS satellites to create a global reference frame. The Butler physics program prepared him for his future endeavors first and foremost by providing him the solid physics foundation he needed for graduate school. Paul’s hands-on experiences remotely operating telescopes and doing research work gave him data science experience which has been advantageous at his current job. Physics concepts like orbital mechanics, optics, and frame transformations have all come into play in Paul’s daily work as well.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE, MAGNA CUM LAUDE PHYSICS AND ENGINEERING DUAL DEGREE PROGRAM
At Northrop Grumman (NG) Austin is a systems engineer that works with Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) in the integration and test (I&T) department. As an I&T engineer, he conducts testing in labs to prove the effectiveness of NG’s ASE, as well as ensure the final products are ready for deployment into the field. Butler University prepared Austin for his career by challenging him to think critically, encouraging collaboration with others, and helping him to learn new skills that he could use to his advantage. The rigorous physics courses, in addition to the engineering courses, prepared Austin well to succeed in a workplace environment. Austin is proud to be part of Butler’s alumni and is fortunate he gets to apply his degrees toward a meaningful career in protecting America’s warfighters.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE PHYSICS AND ENGINEERING DUAL DEGREE PROGRAM
At Butler, Brad’s journey into computational research started, and Dr. Gonzalo Ordonez served as an invaluable mentor, finely honing his skills. Under his guidance, Brad actively participated in numerous research programs, culminating in a joint publication that showcased the impactful work Dr Ordonez and he accomplished together. This experience solidified Brad’s passion for research, propelling him to pursue a PhD in Applied Physics at Yale University. Today, as the CEO and Co-Founder of Modlee, a pioneering generative AI company, Brad is dedicated to accelerating AI development, enabling individuals to craft high-quality solutions faster. His mission is to empower countless innovators across science, technology, and industry, fostering transformative advancements in AI.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS AND PHYSICS
Elise graduated Butler in 2021 with degrees in Astrophysics & Astronomy and Physics. She worked at Holcomb Observatory all four years and did undergraduate research with Dr. Brian Murphy. Elise is currently pursuing her PhD. at the University of Arkansas in Space and Planetary Sciences. Her research focuses on experiments simulating the reactions occurring at Venus’ surface.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE SUMMA CUM LAUDE, ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS AND PHYSICS WITH HIGHEST HONORS
Michael credits his Butler coursework and 1 on 1 research projects with Butler faculty as major factors helping him earn a University Distinguished Fellowship for graduate school at Michigan State University. While at MSU, he worked alongside Butler alumnus, Professor Sean Couch. During his graduate studies, he was a Givens fellow at Argonne National Laboratory, developing code to perform simulations of stars that blow up, known as supernovae. As a part of the Argonne team, he was a Research & Development 100 award winner for the Flash-X software. His thesis consists of publications predicting unique signals, called gravitational waves, to understand the physics driving stellar explosions and provide reliable predictions for international collaborations, like the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO). His graduate research culminated in a dual PhD in Astrophysics & High Performance Computing.
As an educator, he has mentored and published scientific works with multiple student mentees. He credits his public lectures at the Holcomb Observatory helping prepare him for his TED Talk, radio interview, and outreach talks explaining supernovae in an accessible way. Building on his time as a teaching assistant for Butler physics courses, he received the graduate certification in college teaching from Michigan State.
Currently, Michael is an astrophysicist at the California Institute of Technology. He is investigating supernovae, stars that collide, and the physics that influence these events in outer space. He aims to continue his research campaign, while using it to provide engaging course content for his future physics students and research mentees.”
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE MAGNA CUM LAUDE, ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS WITH DISTINCTION PHYSICS
Corinna is currently a graduate student at the University of Utah pursuing a PhD in physics with a focus in astronomy. Her most recent work has been focused on observational time domain astronomy studying high redshift gamma-ray burst afterglows. For this research, Corinna primarily uses radio telescopes. In the future she hopes to have a career where she can split her time between research and public outreach. Butler prepared Corinna greatly for career success. On the research side, small class sizes allowed her to build relationships with her professors and begin research as early as her first year. Additionally, becoming a tour guide at Holcomb Observatory allowed Corinna to gain valuable public speaking skills and it was where she discovered her passion for public outreach!
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE CUM LAUDE, MATHEMATICS WITH HIGH DISTINCTION, PHYSICS WITH HIGH DISTINCTION
Ben currently performs research in quantum computing full time at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. As part of the quantum theory team his work centers around superconducting qubit architectures, compilers, algorithms, and error correction. While a student at Butler Ben took part in multiple research projects in the physics department, mathematical sciences department, and externally through an internship at Forschungszentrum Jülich. The subject matter may have been different, but these research experiences built a foundation that Ben constantly relies on in his work.For Ben, what made Butler invaluable was not only the research opportunities, which were plentiful, but also the flexibility to try new things and the support for doing so. There aren’t too many places where someone can probe so many distinct research topics all while taking unrelated classes for a minor in German or an interest in political science. At Butler, the avenues for exploring diverse interests within physics and outside are extensive.
BACHELOR OF ARTS CUM LAUDE MUSIC WITH HIGH HONORS, PHYSICS WITH HIGH HONORS
Sam is a climate scientist and postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Geophysical Sciences at the University of Chicago. He obtained his PhD in Atmospheric Science from Indiana University Bloomington in 2023 after completing his Bachelor’s in Physics at Butler in 2015. For Sam’s research, he studied the fluid motions of the atmosphere and how they are organized at different scales. Sam’s especially interested in how small-scale phenomena, such as clouds, can interact with very large-scale motions like the jetstream, and in how these interactions can provide a source of “memory” for making long-term weather forecasts and predictions of future climate change. To carry out his work, Sam spends a lot of time modelling the physical world, both mathematically (through equations) and numerically (on a computer). He also spends a lot of time analyzing historical weather and climate data and trying to explain the behavior and patterns in it. Sam’s time at Butler really helped him learn to understand the world through equations and how to simplify these mathematical models to see how the world works. He also learned the basics of computational physics and coding while at Butler which are foundational to the work he does now. To Sam, studying physics at Butler meant learning how to answer the question “How does this work?” about the natural world. Now he works to answer that same question about Earth’s rapidly changing climate.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE MAGNA CUM LAUDE, ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS WITH DISTINCTION, PHYSICS WITH DISTINCTION, MATHEMATICS
Wyatt graduated from Butler University in 2022. Since then, he has gone on to pursue a PhD in Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder. In Wyatt’s research group, he worked on understanding the process of Energetic Particle Precipitation (EPP), which couples Earth’s radiation belts to the atmosphere through energy and mass transfer. This process produces X-ray emissions that he will be studying using the AEPEX CubeSat, set to launch in August of 2024.Since joining this amazing project, Wyatt has been able to use the techniques that he built at Butler University to further his research. Concepts like image analysis and particle motion that Wyatt learned in his astronomy and electromagnetism courses have been crucial in informing his understanding of the physics that govern radiation belt dynamics and how we measure them. Wyatt’s time spent in the classrooms and doing independent research in Butler University’s Physics and Astronomy Department has prepared him for a PhD in Aerospace Engineering Sciences and will continue to serve as a foundation for his career beyond graduate school.
Go Dawgs!
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE, ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS AND PHYSICS
The Butler Physics and Astronomy program prepared Sedrick for his current successes in his career by giving him plenty of leadership and teaching experiences/opportunities. He was able to work in a research group, be a teaching assistant for the introductory astronomy class, and a tour guide at Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium. Each of these opportunities helped give Sedrick confidence as both a teacher and a leader. Now, every day he is able to offer advice, guidance, and inspiration to young students and athletes. The Butler Physics and Astronomy program not only helped show Sedrick his passion for teaching inside and outside the classroom but helped give him opportunities to grow to achieve Teacher of the Year in his first-year teaching at Eminence Jr/Sr High School.