Graduating Student Spotlight: Eason Wang, Winner of The Excellence in Undergraduate Research Award

Congratulations to Eason Wang, who is the College of Science winner for the Excellence in Undergraduate Research Award. Eason is a double major in Astronomy and Physics, interested in computational cosmology and is currently working on measuring Kinematic Lensing using data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument. Below, he reflects on his time at Steward Observatory.

What brought you to Steward Observatory?

In middle school, I watched numerous documentaries about the foundations of physics, and have since then been fascinated by the origin and evolution of the universe. What drew me to Steward were the research opportunities it provided, where I can learn from some of the best people in the field and experience making my own discoveries.

Can you describe your research and any especially interesting learning experiences you’ve had during your time here?

I'd say my most significant learning experience was my very first semester doing computational research with Dr. Eduardo Rozo in my Sophomore year. Having nearly zero coding experience in the beginning, it was very difficult, and I had many times thought about giving up. However, as I learned the fundamentals and became more comfortable with code, I realized the usefulness and immense potential of computation for astrophysics research. From then on I’ve been obsessed with coding, and have made increasing contributions to research. Right now I am working on a machine learning project with Dr. Tim Eifler, where I seek to accelerate the inference process for Kinematic Lensing, which is a novel weak lensing method using both photometric and spectroscopic data that will greatly aid future surveys.

What's your greatest point of pride from your time at Steward?

I am happy for my immense growth at Steward as well as in college overall, due partly to me constantly seeking out opportunities. As an immigrant, I was ineligible for most of the opportunities available to other students due to my status, but that did not deter me from applying to whatever opportunities I could find and making my time in college maximally fulfilling. I am grateful for TIMESTEP and various other programs and scholarships for supporting me throughout my undergraduate years, allowing me to build important skills for my career.

Can you share piece of wisdom from your time as an astronomy student?

Make the most out of your opportunities. Even if you didn't get the exact thing you wanted, put your best effort into whatever you got, and it will lead you to better places you've never thought of before.

What’s next? 

I want to move into data science. In my gap year I will study while working part time, and apply for Data Science/Applied Math PhDs next cycle.

Stayed tuned for more Spotlight profiles on Steward Observatory graduates, and follow our social media channels for more insight into the lives of our students, staff and faculty. 

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