Graduating Student Spotlight: Dare Bartelt
Dare Bartelt graduated this spring with her BS in Astronomy.
After her spring graduation with a BS in Astronomy, Dare Bartelt reflects on highlights from her time at Steward Observatory, including discovering water on a hot gas giant exoplanet. Read her full interview below.
What brought you to Steward Observatory?
I was really impressed by the program and their involvement with NASA missions. I've always loved space and how much there is to learn about our Universe.
Can you describe your research and any especially interesting learning experiences you’ve had during your time here?
I have been working with Dr. Megan Weiner Mansfield to quantify molecular abundances in the atmosphere of the hot Jupiter WASP-43b. Using ground-based observations from the IGRINS spectrograph on the Gemini-South telescope, we searched for carbon- and oxygen-based molecules to constrain the C/O ratio. We detected water and obtained a lower limit on the water volume mixing ratio.
What's your greatest point of pride from your time at Steward?
Getting to present a talk on my research at the 243rd AAS meeting!
Can you share piece of wisdom from your time as an astronomy student?
Find a research advisor/mentor who supports you beyond research. Having a research advisor who helped me apply for internships and graduate school and actively worked with me to ensure I was succeeding made a huge difference. I was able to get opportunities that I otherwise wouldn't have if I didn't have my advisor there to support me.
We’re excited to celebrate our students who graduated this semester. 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.