UC San Diego’s Astronomy Department Celebrates Its First Graduating Class
A small but mighty cohort of 10 students reflects on their time on campus
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When UC San Diego’s Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics was launched in 2023, it wanted to capitalize on the rich history of space research and teaching at the university while also rethinking the needs of modern-day students. In fact, one of the motivations in establishing the new department was creating a new undergraduate program that allowed students to deeply explore astronomy and astrophysics.
This meant updating curriculum to include classes such as “Data Science in Astronomy” and “The Explosive Universe.” It also meant thinking more holistically about the student body — who they were, where they came from and where they wanted to go.
To accommodate different aspirations, the department offers two Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees. The B.S. in Astronomy and Astrophysics is appropriate for students interested in graduate school and pursuing research as a career, while the B.S. in Astrophysical Sciences might make sense for students interested in science communications, public policy or even a dual major.
Another important consideration was that a large portion of UC San Diego’s undergraduate population is transfer students who have come from community colleges. Transfer students can have a more challenging time pursuing science degrees because they don’t have the benefit of spending two years enmeshed in the culture and curriculum of the university and may not have had access to undergraduate research opportunities.
One way to help support transfer students is through STARTastro, a program built on a regional partnership between UC San Diego, San Diego State University and San Diego's community colleges. STARTastro provides academic and research preparation so transfer students are ready to excel.
This year, the department’s first cohort of ten undergraduates will receive their degrees. Because the undergraduate major was established less than four years ago, this first group of graduating students either switched into the astronomy major in their junior year or were transfer students. Four of the ten graduates — Jack Green, Marylin Loritsch, Evan Pritchard and Sophia Um — were part of STARTastro.
“The department is thrilled to be graduating our first cohort of majors this year,” stated Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics Alison Coil, who also serves as department chair. “Even without the benefit of four years together in the major, it was wonderful to see this graduating cohort build a strong community among themselves.”
We talked to several graduates about their experiences at UC San Diego, their love of astronomy and parting words of wisdom for future Tritons.
How does it feel to be a part of the department’s first graduating class?
Marylin Loritsch: It is such a joy and an honor to be part of the first graduating class from the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics. I hope we have made the department proud!
Jack Green: It feels pretty surreal, and exciting! We are only the first, with so many to follow. I'm excited to see how the department grows in the coming years.
What is your favorite memory at UC San Diego?
Aidan Mai will enter an astrophysics PhD program at UNC-Chapel Hill in the fall.
Aidan Mai: Showing people the moon and planets through my telescope! I've been hosting on-campus observing nights all throughout my time at UC San Diego, and they're some of my favorite memories. It never gets old seeing peoples' reactions to seeing the craters of the moon or the rings of Saturn for the first time.
Pedro Hernandez: Probably my first week here, it was all so new to me. Becoming independent I was both nervous and excited. I met new people and it really set the tone for my four years here.
What was your favorite course?
Evan Pritchard: My favorite course has to be ASTR 120 Stellar Astrophysics. I can't think of a day where I wasn't excited to go to lecture. Learning about stars, the building blocks galaxies, the nucleosynthesis in their cores, how they evolve, and how some eventually explode into cataclysmic supernovae — I can't name a more fascinating topic.
Aidan Mai: Professor Steven Boggs' ASTR 105/106 Quantum Mechanics series. He is one of the most passionate, kind and enthusiastic teachers I've ever had the privilege of learning from. His notes on quantum mechanics are worth their weight in gold!
What is something interesting you learned about space?
Yumeka Ikeda plans to continue her education and pursue a career in astrophysics research.
Yumeka Ikeda: I was surprised by how much we can learn from large datasets in astronomy. Using coding and data analysis, we can find patterns and discover properties of galaxies and stars that are not obvious at first glance.
Evan Pritchard: Just like mass, light is affected by gravity! It's called gravitational lensing and I encourage you to read about it.
Do you have any advice for incoming freshman?
Marylin Loritsch: Never feel obligated to fulfill a plan that no longer serves you. It is okay to change your mind as you learn more about yourself and what matters to you. Be patient and gracious with yourself and your journey.
Matthew McCall: Almost everyone thinks they need to be cooler than they are to fit in and have fun. You have to let go of all that. Do things that make you smile, take classes that make you think, and talk to people that make you laugh. You'll find out very quickly what college is all about.
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