UW Physics and Astronomy Graduate Student Wins Major Astronomy Award

Eliza Frankel, a University of Wyoming Ph.D. student studying physics and astronomy, was one of seven graduate students honored with the Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Student Award at the 247th meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) in Phoenix, Ariz. in early January.

The award is given to students with exceptional research and oral presentation skills. Frankel, of Atlanta, Ga., was one of 480 graduate students who participated in the AAS poster competition.

Frankel’s research poster, titled “Are you younger than a globular cluster?”, points to a serious problem in stellar astronomy: Why do some stellar models find that there are stars older than the age of the universe?

To address this issue, Frankel has focused on one specific piece of stellar modeling known as the mixing length parameter to see how stellar populations change when the underlying physics of stellar evolution is altered. In her poster, she provides evidence that it cannot be assumed all stars have the same characteristics as our sun, which could be one reason star ages derived from models appear to be much older than our universe.

Frankel’s research was conducted under the guidance of adviser Meridith Joyce, an assistant professor in UW’s School of Computing.

Judges for the AAS complimented Frankel’s poster for its “effectiveness in conveying the project’s conceptual framework within the broader context of astronomy” and strong “organization and visual mechanics.”

At the meeting, Frankel was able to hear about the future of space missions and cutting-edge discoveries in astronomy. This included a field trip to Arizona Science Center’s planetarium to learn about observations and discoveries from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory.

“I was able to catch up with graduate students from around the country I had met previously, as well as being able to meet other astronomers all at different career stages,” says Frankel, a second-year Ph.D. student. “It makes me very excited for my future in the field and all of the exciting things to come.”

The 127-year-old AAS is a major international organization with more than 8,000 members comprising professional and amateur astronomers and educators. The organization provides opportunities for students to network and learn about opportunities in their field.