Nantucket Maria Mitchell Observatory NSF-REU Interns Present Summer Astrophysics Research Projects

Kelly Bernatzky • July 30, 2021

On August 11 at 7pm, the Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association’s Summer 2021 National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) interns will present their summer research projects in astrophysics virtually on Zoom as part of the free MMA Science Speaker Series. 

 

This summer’s research projects covered a wide range of topics from determining how stellar activity might affect the habitability of exoplanets and searching for sources of gravitational waves, to monitoring the X-ray flares from the supermassive black hole at the center of our nearest neighbor galaxy, Andromeda, to unraveling the contents of the cosmic web. 


For more than fifty years, the Maria Mitchell Observatory (MMO) has offered summer research opportunities in astronomy and astrophysics for undergraduate students on Nantucket. During the program, the six NSF-REU interns will present their individual research projects developed under the guidance of Maria Mitchell Observatory Director Dr. Regina Jorgenson and several affiliated astronomers. “We are so happy to be able to be back in person this summer, and to have been able to invite the interns out to Nantucket. It’s been a tough year for everyone, and the opportunity to spend the summer on Nantucket engaging in hands-on astrophysics research, as well as interacting with our many visitors to public open nights at the Loines Observatory, will likely change the lives of these young scholars,” said Jorgenson. This summer was a particularly competitive year for the MMA’s NSF-REU program, which received over 250 applications for the six positions. 


The summer 2021 Maria Mitchell Observatory (MMO) NSF-REU intern class includes: Kamara Culbreath, University of North Carolina-Greensboro; Jada Louison, Barnard College; Corinna Peña, Butler University; Alejandro Ross, Johns Hopkins University; Mayra Velazquez, Hendrix College; and Michele Woodland, University of Massachusetts-Lowell.


The research projects that the interns will be discussing are:

  • “Do stellar flares impact disk emission and structure?”
  • “Searching for gravitational wave sources using NASA’s TESS mission” 
  • “A Study of resolved AGB and post-AGB stars in GAIA”
  • “Searching for X-ray flares from the supermassive black hole at the center of the Andromeda Galaxy” 
  • “The search for intermediate mass black holes using white dwarf disruptions”   
  • “Using Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) to Untangle the Cosmic Web: IFU Studies of FRB Host Galaxies.”

 

The research interns have been advised by Dr. Jorgenson and the MMA’s post-baccalaureate research fellow Georgia Stolle-McAllister of the MMA, as well as several affiliated astronomers from a range of institutes including the Chandra X-Ray Center, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, Boston University, and M.I.T in Boston, the Space Telescope Science Institute, and the University of Colorado, Boulder. This summer two of the affiliated astronomers are former MMA NSF-REU interns themselves: Dr. Suvi Gezari of the Space Telescope Science Institute and Dr. Meredith MacGregor of the University of Colorado, Boulder.


To register for this event, please follow the link below:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kzPyjSRoS_aX1zJVnrS6pQ


For the full Science Speaker Series schedule, please visit our website here:

https://www.mariamitchell.org/science-speaker-series

 

This series is generously presented by our lead sponsor, Bank of America, and additional sponsors, Cape Air, Cisco Brewers, and White Elephant Resorts.

 

The Maria Mitchell Association is a private non-profit organization. Founded in 1902, the MMA works to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages.

For Immediate Release

July 30 2021

Contact: Kelly Bernatzky, Development Associate

kbernatzky@mariamitchell.org

Recent Posts

Happy 207th Birthday, Maria Mitchell!

By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • July 28, 2025
August 1, 2025 marks Maria Mitchell’s 207 th Birthday! Since just about the founding of the Maria Mitchell Association – way back in 1902 – the MMA has hosted some celebration or marked the occasion of our namesake’s birth. From 3-5PM FRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 2025 , Vestal Street will be close to traffic and our Vestal Street properties will be open free to the public. We will have activities, games, art projects, live music with Susan Berman and Ray Saunders, and refreshments will be served. So, stop by and say hello! JNLF P.S. If we actually get rain, we will move our celebration to Saturday, August 2 - so keep your ears out! We will decide Wednesday.

Margaret Harwood

By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • July 21, 2025
The MMA found its first astronomer in Margaret Harwood, a 1907 Radcliffe graduate who worked in the Harvard Observatory. Her fellowship began in 1912 and over the first year, she researched, continued to conduct public lectures and open nights, and worked with students of all ages – including those in the public schools. She returned to Cambridge for the winter months where she continued to work at the Observatory. In 1915, she took her leave as was authorized by the fellowship and acquired her master’s degree in astronomy at Berkeley. She returned to Nantucket in 1916, accepting the position of Director of the Observatory. This made Harwood the first woman to head a small private observatory in the United States. Harwood continued her research, with a focus on variable asteroids, published results of her work in numerous publications, and continued to lecture and host open nights. She had assistance from others, including island carpenter and school teacher, Alvin E. Paddock. Harwood became a “first –class celestial photographer . . . accumulating a valuable set of Nantucket photographic plates of variable stars . . .” which are still part of the MMA collection and were the first in the world to be completely digitized. Over the course of her tenure, more than 3,600 plates of the night sky were taken – more than 2,100 by Harwood herself. In the 1950s, Harwood was the first woman to gain access to the Mount Wilson Observatory then the world’s leading observatory, where she was able to use the photographic instruments to further her research. Harwood is seen in the photograph here as she looks for Venus during midday in the MMO using the Cooke-Clark telescope, guided by Maria Mitchell’s own Alvan Clark. JNLF

Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association Welcomes Kike Calvo as Featured July Presenter.

July 14, 2025
NANTUCKET, MA— The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) announces Kike Calvo, award-winning photographer, journalist, and author, as its featured presenter for its July Speaker Series. Calvo’s presentation, "The Power of Creativity: A Journey Through Storytelling, Exploration, and Hope," will take place on Wednesday, July 23 at 7pm at the Nantucket Atheneum’s Great Hall. This event is free. Join the MMA for an engaging evening with award-winning photographer, journalist, and author, Kike (Kee-Keh) Calvo. A Fellow of both the Explorers Club and the Royal Geographical Society, he has traveled to over 120 countries, photographing everything from belugas in the Arctic to traditional dances in Vanuatu. His work has been featured in National Geographic Magazine, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and more. In this engaging presentation, Calvo explores how creativity can be a catalyst for connection, storytelling, and meaningful change. From documenting remote villages to diving with great white sharks, from defying the odds as an author to inspiring thousands of children in the Amazon, Calvo shares the invaluable lessons he has learned along the way. As a National Geographic Certified Educator and Safina Center Fellow (2020-2023), Calvo combines his passion for photography with teaching, having lectured at prestigious institutions such as Yale University. A pioneer in drone photography for art and conservation, he founded the “Little Explorer, Big World” initiative, which brings education to remote communities and has donated over 35,000 bilingual books. Described by anthropologist Wade Davis as, "a fresh voice in visual anthropology," Calvo has a gift for capturing the intersections of human existence. Calvo’s new book, Luminous: A Field Guide for Visual Explorers and Storytellers, isn’t just a book—it’s an invitation to slow down, look deeper, and photograph with soul. It’s a roadmap where photography meets presence, anthropology meets art, and storytelling becomes a path to connection.  Discover how creativity can illuminate pressing global issues—such as plastic pollution—and empower each of us to make a difference. This presentation is free and open to the public, graciously hosted for the MMA by the Nantucket Atheneum in the Great Hall. No registration required. About the Maria Mitchell Association: The Maria Mitchell Association was founded in 1902 to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. After she discovered a comet in 1847, Mitchell’s international fame led to many achievements and awards, including an appointment as the first professor of astronomy at Vassar College. Maria Mitchell believed in “learning by doing” and today that philosophy is reflected in the MMA’s mission statement, programs, research projects, and other activities. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages. ###
Show More