About Me
Hi! I’m a Postdoctoral Associate in Astrophysics, studying observational cosmology. I’m especially interested in the diffuse sky (things like zodiacal light, diffuse Galactic light, and the cosmic optical and infrared backgrounds) as seen with space telescopes.
I got my start at Texas A&M University in 2016, where I studied Physics, and worked under Prof. Casey Papovich and Dr. Vince Estrada-Carpenter. A big turning point was the STScI Summer Internship Program, where I helped contribute to the WFC3 DASH Reduction Pipeline. I particularly remember interacting with diverse interns from all over the world, and began to appreciate working with many different types of people.
That journey brought me to Arizona State University for graduate school, where I became a full-on expert at working with data from the Hubble Space Telescope, working with Prof. Rogier Windhorst and Dr. Rolf Jansen. I was also lucky enough to work on some of the very first James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) images, like the one in the background of this page! I successfully defended my dissertation in June 2025.
I currently work at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, where I am using JWST to create a 3D spectral model of zodiacal light. In addition, I am using data from the Euclid space mission to study the cosmic infrared background.
Mentoring and outreach are really important to me. I believe one of the best ways scientists can give back is by supporting undergraduate students and helping prepare the next generation.
Outside of work, I love good food (especially Puerto Rican and Korean!), exploring national parks, skiing and my San Antonio Spurs. My biggest priorities are my relationships with friends and family, my health, and doing meaningful science! :)
