Imani Dindy is a rising senior physics major at Oklahoma State University. This summer he is working with Dr. Justin Spilker to study the galactic wind in the M82 galaxy using far-infrared data from the SOFIA telescope.
ID: I have always been a fan of science fiction, even though the physics in most of the movies and shows I watched were nonexistent it started a love for science at a young age.
JS: What’s your favorite sci-fi universe?
ID: Any of them where they use science-y sounding language even if it’s not realistic. It sounds silly now that I have a degree in physics, but I love the quantum realm, gigawatts, all of it! Also growing up I watched the Carl Sagan version of Cosmos and learned a lot from that.
JS: What has been your biggest challenge to pursuing a career in STEM?
ID: The fact that I am the only student of color in my classes has been stressful; you start feeling as if you don’t belong even when you’re just as qualified as everyone else in the room. Being in TAURUS everyone has had relatable experiences to mine so it’s refreshing to talk to others about it.
JS: Your first research project was in physics. How has your first astronomy-focused research project been similar or different?
ID: Both projects involved dealing with a decent amount of data which made python a necessary tool. The only difference is since my first project was in particle physics we dealt with four-vectors which was overly complicated and took way too much time to get used to.
JS: Ha, no wonder you’ve managed to do so well with the complicated data we have from SOFIA - it must be simple in comparison! Can you tell me a bit about a time you felt particularly proud of something you accomplished, in research or otherwise?
ID: I know the other TAURUS students probably feel this way, or something similar, but I was overjoyed when I was accepted into this program. Being a first generation college student and coming from an area where people that look like me don’t think of science as a career is a possibility, making it this far is something that three or four years ago would not have been conceivable.
JS: Do you have any tips or advice for undergrad students who might want to follow a similar path to you?
ID: Build professional relationships with professors whose research aligns with your interest. Don’t be discouraged to reach out and ask to visit their lab or to simply ask a few questions. Most professors are excited to talk to students who show interest in their work and look forward to helping you.
JS: Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?
ID: I see myself finishing up grad school and hopefully having a few postdoc offers. Along the way I would like to establish a few science programs at my old elementary school, where the teachers didn’t have a lot of resources for students who like science like me.
Absolutely a fine young man
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