Evan is an incoming third-year student pursuing a Specialist in Astronomy & Physics and a Math Major. Born and raised in Alexandria, Virginia, he has been fascinated by astronomy from a young age. His main research interests lie in radio instrumentation, (although he could certainly be convinced to explore other instrumentation subfields) as well as planetary and stellar formation. Outside of astronomy, Evan loves climbing, playing guitar, and supporting the Nottingham Forest Football Club.
What made you decide to participate in SURP?
What is your favourite thing about SURP?
Truthfully, I don’t believe I can pick a sole favorite thing about SURP, but the community has been one of the most enjoyable aspects. From discussing projects other students are working on to weekly group meetings, SURP has provided me with countless opportunities to learn from both peers and the broader community of researchers at the Dunlap Institute. I also deeply value the dedicated time to focus only on research, allowing me to fully immerse myself in my project. This time has allowed me to learn and grow as a researcher more than I ever expected.
Can you tell us about your research project?
My project has tasked me with the development of a Drone-based Calibration system for Radio Telescopes. Calibration is a vital process that verifies if a telescope is accurately hearing the signal it is supposed to receive. This can be thought of as the telescope getting its eyes checked at the eye doctor. Traditionally, this process has been completed through intensive computer computations, but recent improvements in drone technology provide an easily accessible and incredibly fast platform to perform this task. Our goal is to fly a drone, equipped with a broadband noise transmitter emitting a specific signal, over an active radio telescope. Once this has been completed, we can compare the known signal that we transmitted to the signal that the telescope received. This comparison reveals a map of how well the telescope can see, allowing us to identify weak points in its vision.
Can you explain how SURP has been different from your undergrad work?
There has been an immense difference in my SURP experience compared to my undergraduate coursework. Classes are typically taught in a naturally structured, sequential way, where each topic builds on the previous information. SURP, on the other hand, has been less linear. Every hurdle I have encountered in my project has required me to identify what I need to learn, locate whatever resources might be available, and apply that knowledge to solve the problem at hand. This inquiry-based learning approach has been both incredibly fun and rewarding, yet simultaneously different from a traditional classroom.
What are your plans for the future?
Tell us something fun about yourself unrelated to SURP!
The Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Toronto is an endowed research institute with over 80 faculty, postdocs, students, and staff, dedicated to innovative technology, ground-breaking research, world-class training, and public engagement.
The research themes of its faculty and Dunlap Fellows span the Universe and include: optical, infrared and radio instrumentation, Dark Energy, large-scale structure, the Cosmic Microwave Background, the interstellar medium, galaxy evolution, cosmic magnetism, and time-domain science.
The Dunlap Institute, the David A. Dunlap of Astronomy and Astrophysics, and other researchers across the University of Toronto’s three campuses together comprise the leading concentration of astronomers in Canada, at the leading research university in the country.
The Dunlap Institute is committed to making its science, training, and public outreach activities productive and enjoyable for everyone of all backgrounds and identities.