AL: Please tell us more about you. What's your story?
RN: I'm from the Greater Boston Area, and I went to school there my entire life. I'm a first generation Haitian American and also a first-gen soon-to-be college graduate. I grew up reading every book I could get my hands on about astronomy and physics. So I went to college to study those things. I ended up transferring a few times because I wasn't getting the support I needed from other schools, or in a personal sense. But I’m now at a school where I’ve gotten the support I needed to pursue a career in physics and astronomy. That made a huge difference in my career trajectory and in my confidence in doing the work. I took every opportunity I had, even if it wasn't astronomy or physics based, to get experience until I could get the experience in the field which fulfilled a childhood dream of mine. Those experiences solidified that I wanted to pursue research in a doctoral program after I graduate. I'm studying physics at UMass Boston, and I have an English minor with a certificate in quantum information.
AL: What inspired you to pursue a career in astronomy?
RN: I was six years old playing in my backyard with my dad and siblings when I looked up into the sky at night and wondered what made the Universe tick. From that moment on, it made me want to be an astronomer/astrophysicist and it made me fall in love with the night sky. I've wanted to pursue astronomy and physics ever since.
AL: What are you most proud of?
RN: The first thing I thought of was my Hot Science Summer proposal. HSS was a crowd funded project sponsored by VanguardSTEM to give Black and brown women / gender minorities the chance to do science the way they want to. I was part of the inaugural group and I got to do observations at the Maria Mitchell Observatory in Nantucket, Massachusetts with this funding. I was also part of the inaugural class for the Quantum Information Certificate in my school (there is a big push for QI education in the U.S.); it was really fun to do. Also all of the research opportunities I've gotten, both in school and outside of it; they motivated me and gave me the confidence to keep going in science, and I'm proud of myself for that. It makes me see how everything is interconnected, and how beautiful all of it is.
AL: What mentors, teachers, or role models have been the most important to you in your life?
RN: Professor Stephen Arnason, Professor Mohamed Gharbi, Professor Alioscia Hamma -- they were the first professors that truly believed in me, gave me guidance on what I needed to do to be better, and gave me support when I transferred to UMass Boston. They also have a hand in giving / introducing me to a bunch of opportunities in physics. Rudy Montez Jr. and Sophia Sanchez-Maes -- they were my first official research advisor and STEM mentor from last summer; they gave me a lot of support, cheered me on, understood me, and were very kind, and patient with me, especially during a global pandemic. And of course you (Arianna) and Quang (UT grad student) -- because you guys are such good humans, supportive, kind, real, uplifting, and understand all aspects of what makes me, me.
AL: Ah well it's a pleasure! What challenges and obstacles have you faced in your career? How have you overcome these challenges?
RN: A lot, to put it in short. Genuinely. I don't feel comfortable mentioning most of it, but some points did push me to do / pursue things that I wouldn't have otherwise. For example, I had one of my friends pass away right when we were both accepted into the internship from last summer. I almost didn't accept it, but when I heard the news I decided otherwise because who am I to reject it when she was so excited for it. I did it for the both of us. I ended up wearing a t-shirt dedicated to her every single week in the program when I was with the other students so it felt like she was there with us. Experiences like that pushed me to do things I never thought would happen, or meet amazing people and get the support I need to keep going in academia and in my personal life.
AL: What advice would you give to high school and undergraduate students of similar background to you who are interested in following your path? What’s one piece of advice you wish you had when you started your STEM journey?
RN: I'd say, say yes to everything, take every opportunity you can. Feeling like you're not smart enough is a common feeling. Almost everyone has that feeling of not being enough for something, but you have to remind yourself that it's not true. You are more than smart enough and you should therefore go after whatever that thing is. You never know what you don't know until you take that thing (class, opportunity, etc.). Also, ask ALL THE QUESTIONS because there's probably someone who has the same question, and lots of people love questions. Part of learning is to ask questions. It also helps breed your own curiosity, and curiosity is part of what keeps science and the world going.
AL: What else are you passionate about?
RN: I'm passionate about music, I listen to a lot of different genres. I play the violin and piano. I also love dancing (hip hop, contemporary, bachata, salsa, kompa, afrobeats). I like to write poetry and sometimes short stories. I like reading, mostly mystery and fantasy. I watch a lot of anime and K-dramas, and I read manga. And I enjoy spending time with good people, friends, and loved ones.
AL: Anything else you want people to know about you?
RN: I used to be a video game addict! I still have admiration for video games; my favorite one will always be Kingdom Hearts.
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