Alexis joins us this summer from El Paso, where she grew up and now attends the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). She is excited by the opportunity to get hands-on experience with astronomy at UT Austin. Alexis describes research as, “A very personal thing because it’s a great way to challenge yourself and grow,” and she is eager to learn how to apply knowledge she’s learned in classes to a project. TAURUS will be her first full-time experience in research.
Alexis names a few sources of inspiration for her fascination with astronomy. Her parents were each in the first generation in their families to get college degrees, so they have always emphasized the importance of education and hard work. At the same time, her parents encouraged her to pursue things she enjoys. Her father is a "huge space buff,” she says, and she remembers being glued to the TV as a child watching space documentaries. This fueled Alexis' excitement for astronomy and learning about the universe. A professor at UTEP, Dr. Héctor Noriega-Mendoza, has also motivated Alexis with his passion for astronomy. “He’s been a huge help to me and a huge inspiration,” says Alexis. "He’s very passionate about what he does.” She also looks up to the astronaut Chris Hadfield, and is motivated by his advice to pursue your dreams. “I can’t imagine anything else that I would like to do more” than study astronomy, she says.
Alexis enjoys exploring the world through walking, drawing, and reading, especially science fiction and fantasy. "It’s fascinating to read and get into somebody else’s mind,” she says. Alexis enjoys creating stories and illustrating the characters.
Alexis has completed her junior year at UTEP and is planning to apply to graduate programs in astronomy this coming Fall. She has goals beyond graduate school, too: she looks forward to applying for jobs at NASA. “I would love to do research for them, and hopefully one day to be an astronaut.” With that in mind, she’s also been learning how to fly single-engine airplanes, and is working towards her pilot’s license. She is thinking about joining the Air Force after graduate school in order to get more experience flying.
El Paso, as an “engineering-focused town,” has few avenues for a young scientist to pursue astronomy. UTEP offers only two astronomy courses, and as Alexis puts it, “It has been difficult to find opportunities in astronomy for me back at home that I can learn from and grow from as a scientist.” So Alexis found what she needed in the TAURUS program, which she says has drawn her out of her comfort zone but is a vital step in the direction she wants to go. She only heard about TAURUS on the day the application was due, but she put together the application on short notice and here she is. Alexis encourages younger students who are interested in astronomy to, “Pursue their dream no matter what, and apply for every opportunity they can get their hands on. You have to search for your own opportunities if they’re not presented to you.”
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