Physics and Astronomy | Today at Elon | ��޹��Ʒ

Physics & Astro Tea: Intersection of science and poetry

Jeremy Hohertz — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 18:46:01 +0000

Sometimes the best way to start writing is with a single word. Or a prompt, a photo and 30 crowdsourced words.

Assistant Professor of Teaching Claudine Moreau recently led the Physics & Astro Tea audience in a creative writing exercise based on an image of the Butterfly Nebula and the prompt, “The object is not [blank]; it is [blank]”.

This is one of several prompts and techniques Moreau used while writing “Life After the Eruption,: a collection of poetry inspired by her sabbatical travels to Scotland and Iceland. In this collection, she explores how the self can regrow after its own eruptions using rocks and the cosmos to think about rebuilding.

Hosted weekly by the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Physics & Astro Tea promises engaging discussions, thought-provoking ideas and a delightful spread of refreshments. Open to all students, faculty and staff, this gathering is the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow physics aficionados in a relaxed and informal setting. Meetings take place in the third-floor lounge of Innovation Hall at 3:20 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Physics & Astro Tea: Recap of summer experiences

Jeremy Hohertz — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 20:53:47 +0000

Three students shared their summer work experiences with the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the second Physics & Astro Tea event of the semester.

Parker Stevens worked for MegaWatt Lasers, a company based in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, which designs and manufactures solid state lasers. These laser systems often find use in medical, industrial and military applications. One of Parker’s tasks was to develop a new safety system and signage for the research lab that could be controlled remotely.

Ja’Mir Parham spent his summer at a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) site at the SETI Institute, an organization whose primary mission is to explore life in the universe. Ja’Mir focused on finding large, hydrogen-rich regions of the Milky Way Galaxy that could be star-forming regions. His team identified 15 new candidate regions, a significant increase in the number of previously identified regions.

Jonathan Berkson spent his summer at an NSF-REU at Washington State University, where his work centered on observational data related to dwarf galaxies and intermediate black holes. Jonathan and his mentors are continuing to work on a paper based on his efforts this summer.

Elon faculty member’s photo featured on NASA’s Picture of the Day

sdarmelio — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 16:12:44 +0000

For more than two decades, Tim Martin, instructor in physics, has documented lunar eclipses from locations around the world. His patience and persistence earned national recognition when his photo was selected as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Astronomy Picture of the Day on Aug. 25, 2026.

Martin’s 22-year astrophotography project captures the shape of Earth’s shadow through a series of lunar eclipses. The collage is the culmination of a long-term astrophotography project that began with Martin’s first digital photograph of a lunar eclipse in 2003. By combining multiple images across eclipses, he completed the collage in March 2025 that shows the complete shadow of the Earth.

The project was inspired by the observation and documentation of lunar eclipses by the ancient Greeks who concluded the reason why occasional full moons look different was due to the Moon passing into the shadow of the Earth. Martin’s interest in astrophotography began as an eighth grader in the early 1980s when he photographed lunar eclipses for a science fair project.

“As I have taught this for years, I started to compile several images to outline the shadow of the Earth,” said Martin. “After a number of eclipses, I realized that I had enough data to mostly show the shadow of the Earth.”

Martin’s collage brings together images captured from numerous locations, including Australia, over the course of 22 years. Each eclipse presented a different opportunity and a different challenge. Weather conditions, the time of night and the position of the Moon within Earth’s shadow all had to align for Martin to capture the images he needed.

“At first I was just watching and photographing eclipses,” Martin said. “It was only in the last decade that I started intentionally working on creating this image. It was still a long time for the creation of the image and one that can’t be easily replicated without waiting on celestial alignments,” Martin said.

In March 2025, he finally completed the image by photographing the lunar eclipse on Elon’s campus. Shortly after completing his collage, Martin submitted it to NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day, a website that has showcased astronomy images from around the world since the 1990s. The site reaches millions of viewers and is translated into more than 20 languages.

Martin initially expected the photograph might be published sooner. When he received an email notifying him that NASA had selected the image, his disappointment over the wait quickly turned into excitement.

“I was super excited when I got the email a few days ago,” Martin said. “I wanted to share this long-term project with the larger community of folks who are interested in astronomy and space science.”

The timing of NASA’s selection also makes the recognition particularly fitting. The photograph is being featured in conjunction with an upcoming lunar eclipse on Aug. 27, giving viewers an opportunity to see the phenomenon that inspired Martin’s project.

Over the years, Martin has used a combination of cameras and telescopes to photograph the lunar eclipses. He has used early generation digital cameras and his current Nikon Z8 camera paired with a 600 mm telephoto lens.

Martin joined Elon in 2020, his scholarly areas of expertise include astronomy, meteorology and geology.

Inaugural Elon Phoenix Summer camp brings college life to high school students

sdarmelio — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 19:34:12 +0000

��޹��Ʒ hosted its inaugural Phoenix Summer residential camp this month for rising high school juniors and seniors interested in preparing for the transition to college.

Twenty-six students participated in Phoenix Summer, held July 6-17 on Elon’s campus, where they immersed themselves in hands-on, college-style academics while fostering curiosity, community and independence.

“The transition from high school to college is one of the biggest milestones in a student’s life, and after working with first-year students for many years, I’ve learned that one of the most common things they say is ‘I wish I had known what to expect,’” said Theresa Higgins, academic coordinator for alternative start programs. “Phoenix Summer gives students the opportunity to experience college before they get here full time.”

Students lived in the residence halls, navigated campus, ate in the dining hall, learned from Elon faculty, connected with staff and explored the academic and social opportunities Elon has to offer.

Student making butter in the “Chemistry in the kitchen” Phoenix Summer course.

Students selected two courses to take throughout the camp, including Order in the court!, An introduction to law and justice, taught by Shilanka Lewis, assistant professor of law; Chemistry in the kitchen, taught by Mary McManamy, associate teaching professor of chemistry; Exploring astronomical and poetic light, taught by Claudine Moreau, assistant teaching professor of physics; and Start-up Spring: concept to creation, taught by Elena Kennedy, associate professor of entrepreneurship and Dan Reis, assistant director of creative learning technologies.

Student in the “Exploring astronomical and poetic light” Phoenix Summer class.

“The Phoenix Summer faculty were truly the highlight of this pre-college experience,” Higgins said. “Their enthusiasm, passion and genuine engagement with their subject matter inspired students to see college as a place to explore their interests and discover new possibilities.”

Each day the students spent time learning and engaging in the classroom through a variety of hands-on lessons.

“The law class was my favorite part of the camp,” said Ava Hendricks, an eleventh grade student from Raleigh, North Carolina. “I have always been interested in law and what we have been doing in the class to prepare for a mock trial has been so cool. Phoenix Summer gave me the opportunity to picture college. I would never have known what college would be like without this possibility.”

Students making s’mores as part of the Phoenix Summer activities.

During the day, students participated in their courses, while evenings and weekends were filled with social events, activities, several off-campus excursions and signature Elon experiences to help students build community. Activities students participated in included a trivia night, human bingo, s’more making, karaoke, a water balloon fight and a sip and paint.

“My favorite parts of the camp were meeting new people, living in a dorm and attending the classes,” said Sienna Rohan, a twelfth grade student from Greensboro, Georgia. “It’s been nice meeting new people, and I’ve learned a lot about Elon.”

Higgins’ hope is that students left the camp with not only a greater appreciation for Elon, but also a renewed excitement about the possibilities that lie ahead as the students transition from high school to college.

“The primary goal of Phoenix Summer is to provide high school students with an authentic college experience that builds confidence, independence and a sense of belonging before they begin their college journey,” Higgins said. “The most exciting part of the camp was watching the students truly thrive in the experiences we intentionally designed for them.

Student during a mock trial in the “Order in the court!, An introduction to law and justice” Phoenix Summer course.

“I watched them blossom from students who arrived on the first day feeling nervous and uncertain about what to expect into confident, engaged learners — and, in the case of our Order in the Court students, budding lawyers in training. I hope they leave believing in themselves. Whether they ultimately choose Elon or another institution, I hope Elon will always hold a special place in their hearts as the place where they first experienced college and began to see themselves as future college students.”

For more information about Phoenix Summer and information about future camps, contact Theresa Higgins, academic coordinator for alternative start programs, at thiggings7@elon.edu.

Two Elon students named Undergraduate Research Scholars from NC Space Grant

Avery Craine Powell — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 15:13:22 +0000

Two ��޹��Ʒ students have been chosen for the NC Space Grant Undergraduate Research Scholarship, a highly competitive program that helps students gain hands-on research experience aligned with NASA Mission Directorates.

Cayden Tirak ’28 and Myka Thomas ’27 are the second and third Elon students to receive the award, following Jules Levanti ’25 in 2024. Tirak is also the youngest Elon student to receive the award.

Cayden Tirak ’28 (center) with her mentor Chris Richardson, associate professor of astrophysics (right)

“It is really exciting to have won this grant, and the funding will be able to help me take this research project further,” said Tirak, who is an astrophysics major and Honors Fellow studying “green pea galaxies” and the black holes at their center. “Being able to say I won a research grant for my undergraduate project is a huge privilege and will help me in the future pursue my dreams of doing research as a career.”

Tirak, who is from Lincolnton, North Carolina, is mentored by Chris Richardson, associate professor of astrophysics. Richardson says this achievement reflects her ambition.

“I am beyond thrilled for Cayden to earn this very competitive award, as it not only rewards the hard work she put into crafting the proposal, but will also enable her to create new opportunities to grow as a researcher,” Richardson said.

Thomas, an astrophysics major and minor from Annapolis, Maryland, is using the James Webb Telescope’s OutThere survey to identify and group galaxies to build a catalog of these galaxy groups and study how they evolve.

Myka Thomas ’27

“It feels incredible. Receiving this award opens up so many doors, from attending conferences to connecting with others in the field, and it’s validating to see how much work I’ve been putting in paying off,” Thomas said.

Zack Hutchens, assistant professor of astrophysics and physics, says earning this award is a “serious scientific achievement” for Thomas.

“Writing a proposal of this nature requires the student to carefully identify an open research question, design a feasible yet ambitious timeline and persuasively present the scientific case for answering it,” said Hutchens. “The award also speaks to the novelty of the work Myka is leading with JWST-OutThere. OutThere is one of the largest survey programs on the Webb telescope, and I am quite proud to bring it to Elon for students like Myka to engage in.”

The 12 Undergraduate Research Scholarship awardees receive $8,000 to spend on research. N.C. Space Grant is a state-wide network of North Carolina higher-education institutions, industries, government entities, educational programs and nonprofit partners with NASA-related interests. The organization works to promote, develop and support space-related STEM research, education and public outreach.

“We’re proud to assist these undergraduate students as they begin their research,” said Sandy Canfield, assistant director of NC Space Grant. “Increasingly, we are seeing students integrate AI and machine learning into their work, which echoes emerging NASA and industry priorities.”

Physics & Astro Tea: Exploring the earliest cosmic ecosystems

Jeremy Hohertz — Mon, 11 May 2026 13:20:13 +0000

During a recent Physics and Astro Tea event, Rongmon Bordoloi explained how data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has led to a more complete understanding of the early universe. Bordoloi is an astrophysicist at North Carolina State University, whose research focuses on how galaxies form, evolve, and exchange matter with their surroundings.

JWST has a wide-field slitless spectroscopy mode, which allows astronomers to measure the chemical composition, motion, and redshift of large numbers of galaxies simultaneously. By measuring the redshift of spectral lines, astronomers can determine how far away a galaxy is and therefore how long ago its light was emitted. Bordoloi and his collaborators have used this information to show that the spaces surrounding early galaxies is metal-rich, indicating that chemical evolution occurred early in the history of the universe.

Physics and Astronomy recognizes seniors, awardees

Jeremy Hohertz — Mon, 11 May 2026 13:18:58 +0000

The Department of Physics and Astronomy, together with the Department of Engineering, held an end-of-year banquet and award ceremony on May 5 to honor annual award winners. A separate ceremony was held on May 6 to recognize graduating seniors and induct students into Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics and astronomy honorary society.

Students Manuel Anyimah ’26, Rahv Tupac-Yupanqui ’26 and Haolin Wang ’26 will graduate with degrees in physics; Morgan Micharski with a degree in Astrophysics; and Carissa Trollinger with a degree in Astronomy.

Jonathan Berkson, Jaylem Cheek, Morgan Micharski, Matthew Reick, Muhammed Tahiru, and Myka Thomas were inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma.

Awards were given to Iris Blanton-Parke ’29 and Priyal Sanathara ’29 for outstanding work as first-years in astrophysics. Danny Asnis ’29 and James Engelbrecht ’29 were recognized for outstanding work in first-year physics. Colin Vernon earned the award for outstanding teaching assistant of the year, and Jonathan Berkson earned the award for outstanding research.

Historic Neighborhood announces winners of 3rd Annual Primavera Poetry Contest

Claudine Moreau — Fri, 01 May 2026 17:24:38 +0000

The Historic Neighborhood at ��޹��Ʒ celebrated the power of student voices on Tuesday, April 28, with the announcement of the winners of the 3rd Annual Primavera Poetry Contest. The awards were revealed during a lively public reading held at The Oak House, where finalists shared their work with an enthusiastic audience of peers, faculty, and community members.

Addison Hobgood reads her poem “Grip”

The contest and event were carried out by Historic Neighborhood’s Faculty Director, Claudine Moreau. This year’s contest was judged by Asheville poet Ivy Rozen, who has commitment to lifting up emerging writers brought thoughtful attention to each submission. Rozen, who has a new book forthcoming this summer titled, If I Love You, from Seed Bed Press, praised the depth, originality, and emotional resonance of the student work.

Judge Ivy Rozen reads from her book Imposters [Bottlecap Press]

Winners

1st Place
Madelyn Fourie — “Bone to Bone”

2nd Place
Georgia Vaughn — “A Note On Dreaming”

3rd place
Addison Hobgood — “Grip”

Honorable Mentions
Lidia Briones — “Our Love, Unending”
Emma Briceno — “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Were Right”
Allena Boddie-Chapman — “The Unlost and Unfound”

Judge Ivy Rozen poses with the winners

Beyond recognizing outstanding poetry, the evening underscored the transformative power of the contest itself. Several of this year’s finalists had never publicly identified as poets before submitting their work, and for some, the April 28 reading marked the first time they had ever shared their writing aloud in front of an audience. Their willingness to step forward and be heard speaks to the welcoming, affirming space the Primavera Poetry Contest continues to create.

First Place winner Madelyn Fourie reads her poem “Bone to Bone”

Now in its third year, the contest has become a vibrant tradition within the Historic Neighborhood, offering students a meaningful venue to explore creative expression and build community through poetry. With another successful year concluded, organizers look forward to continuing this celebration of student voices in the years ahead.

Allena Boddie-Chapman performs “The Unlost and Unfound”

Fifteen students selected as 2026 Lumen Scholars

Avery Craine Powell — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:19:06 +0000

Fifteen rising juniors at Elon have been selected to receive the 2026 Lumen Prize, the university’s premier undergraduate research award that includes a $20,000 scholarship to support and celebrate their academic achievements and research proposals.

Lumen Scholars will work closely with their mentors during the next two years to pursue and complete their projects. Efforts traditionally include coursework, study abroad, research both on and off campus, internships locally and overseas, program development, and creative productions and performances.

“It was another very competitive year, and the Lumen Advisory Board saw many good applications,” said Michael Carignan, director of the Lumen Prize and professor of history. “These 15 represent truly special talent and engagement. We look forward to watching the projects unfold over the next two years.”

The name for the Lumen Prize comes from Elon’s historic motto, “Numen Lumen,” which are Latin words meaning “spiritual light” and “intellectual light.” The words, which are found on the ��޹��Ʒ seal, signify the highest purposes of an Elon education.

2026 Lumen Prize Winners

Tajallah Amirkhil
Mentor: Molly Green
Major: Public Health & Biochemistry
Project: Barriers and Resilience: Exploring Mental Health among Afghan Refugee Women in North Carolina

Emma Briceño
Mentors: Dan Burns & Tita Ramirez
Major: English (Creative Writing)
Project: The Desert Lighthouse, a Novel: an Exploration of Queerness and Safety through Body Horror, Immortality, and Genre Reinvention

Kelley Calvillo
Mentor: Renay Aumiller
Major: Dance Performance and Choreography
Project: The Body Knows: Developing a Feminist Framework for Distributed Choreographic Authorship

Chloe Cone
Mentors: Eryn Bernardy & Ahlam Armaly
Major: Biochemistry
Project: Solutions in the Soil: Unearthing Novel Antibacterial Compounds from Soil Microbes to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance

Sanai Crosby
Mentors: Lauren Kearns & Matt Wittstein
Major: Exercise Science & Dance Science
Project: Dance and Neural Activity: Examining Neural Activity Across the Choreographic Process and Performance Environments

Fleur Helmantel
Mentor: Scott Wolter
Major: Biomedical Engineering & Chinese Studies
Project: Development of Tissue-Mimicking Phantoms for the Treatment of Breast Cancer

Anna Keller
Mentor: Scott Morrison
Project: Perceptions and Practices of Outdoor Literacy: a Two-Part Mixed-Methods Study

Nevaeh Kimmie
Mentor: Katrina Jongman-Sereno
Major: Psychology & Economics
Project: To Code-Switch or Not to Code-Switch: Authenticity, Psychological Outcomes, and Social Judgement of Black College Students in Predominantly White Academic Spaces

Lisa Kranec
Mentors: Hwayeon Ryu & Efrain Rivera-Serrano
Major: Biomedical Engineering & Applied Mathematics
Project: Mathematical Modeling of Excessive Collagen Production in Cardiac Fibrosis

Jordyne Lewis
Mentor: Steve DeLoach
Major: Economic Consulting & Data Analytics
Refugees, Emotional Wellbeing, and Financial Inclusion in Uganda

Kendall Lewis
Mentor: Jen Uno
Major: Biochemistry & Mathematics
Project: Can the Microbiome Heal the Brain?Evaluating Butyrate’s Efficiency in Reducing Stroke Severity within the Context of Obesity

Ja’Mir Parham
Mentor: Zack Hutchens
Major: Astrophysics
Project: RESOLVE, ECO, and eRASS: Probing Galaxy Growth through Cold and Hot Gas

Danny Stern
Mentor: Karl Sienerth
Major: Chemistry
Project: From Backlog to Breakthrough: Use of Fluorescence Quenching for the Development of an Explosive Identification Database

Ainsley Thompson
Mentor: Yuko Miyamoto
Major: Biochemistry
Project: Decreasing Platinum Chemotherapy Resistance by Downregulating STAT3 and Upregulating PTEN in the SKOV3 Cell Line

Scout Winter
Mentor: Bill Evans
Major: Exercise Science
Project: Effects of a Whole-Food Plant-Based Diet on Insulin Resistance and Inflammation in Adults with Type 1 Diabetes

Physics and astronomy students take field trip to Asheville Observatory

mkamela — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 18:22:39 +0000

On Saturday, April 11, eleven physicists and astronomers from the Society of Physics Students and the Astronomy Club packed into a van and went to Asheville, North Carolina.

The group visited UNC-Asheville’s Lookout Observatory. Student docents and Britt Lundgren from UNCA were the hosts. Even though it was cloudy at first, the sky cleared enough to observe Jupiter and its moons, some galaxies, and nebulae. The group managed to work on a hike to Catawba Falls before returning to campus. Elon faculty members Zack Hutchens and Martin Kamela accompanied the group.

Elon students on a hike at Catawba Falls

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