Madyson
Barber
Hometown: Raleigh, NC
Major: Astrophysics and Computer Science
Research Interest: Searching for exoplanets
“I love being able to come to the CSS Suite and be around so many different people. Everyone is studying something different, everyone is doing research, everyone has something to share. I love being able to talk to my mentor about anything and everything.
WHAT DREW YOU TO THE CSS PROGRAM?
Knowing that any STEM field at UNC would be challenging, I saw CSS as an opportunity to have a support system. Not only does CSS provide access to help that’ll lead to success in the classroom, it provides support to reach long term goals within college and beyond.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE CSS EXPERIENCE SO FAR?
I love being able to come to the CSS Suite and be around so many different people. Everyone is studying something different, everyone is doing research, everyone has something to share. I love being able to talk to my mentor about anything and everything.
HOW HAS CSS SHAPED YOUR CAREER GOALS?
Coming in as a freshman, I felt very uncertain that I could achieve my career goals. I dealt with a lot of Imposture Syndrome being a female in a heavily male-dominated field. CSS helped me to realize my value as a student and as a researcher. While my career goals haven’t changed, I am more confident that my dreams are achievable.
WHAT IS YOUR PRIMARY RESEARCH INTEREST?
I am currently doing research in Dr. Andrew Mann’s Young Worlds lab in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. I am working on modeling the jitter of young stars so that other researchers can better take into account stellar intensity fluctuations when searching for new planets outside of our solar system. I am also working with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center to finish up a project I started as a Summer Intern searching for exoplanets with TESS full-frame imaging.
AWARDS AND HONORS
- Phi Beta Kappa
- CSS Distinguished Scholar Award