About Me

My background.

I was born in San Jose, California. My family is from Romania, and my parents immigrated to the US just a few months before I was born. I have lived in California, Scotland, Texas and (soon) New York. I received my BS in Physics in 2019 from the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) and my PhD in Astronomy in 2024 from the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin).

My one-eyed pal, Pepper, on It’s Beach, our favorite dog beach in Santa Cruz. Taken with my Nikon “Nikomat” film camera from the late 1960s.

A bit about me.

I love trying out new hobbies, but some I regularly return to are hiking, roller skating, painting, drawing, photography, and knitting. Before starting graduate school, I ran a successful online vintage shop where I sold vintage clothing items. I still love vintage clothing and wear it often.

I have a one-eyed dog named Pepper whom I love to bits. Most weekends, you can find us at our local coffee shop asking the barista for treats.