Oyebanji Akinyele
Ogundiran
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Major: Astrophysics
Research Interest: Dark Matter and Dark Energy
“My goal is to simply make more sense of the universe and how it functions so that we better understand our origins in the cosmos.
WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE CSS PROGRAM AND CAROLINA?
The scholarship was very intriguing to me, as I knew that I wanted to complete research during my time at Chapel Hill. I became more interested in CSS when I became aware of the academic assistance the CSS program gives to scholars. From tutoring to academic advising, the CSS program is designed to help scholars succeed in research.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO EXPERIENCING AT CAROLINA OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS?
I am looking forward to investigating the scientific field of astrophysics to learn about all the different research opportunities involving the universe.
WHAT RESEARCH TOPIC(S) ARE YOU INTERESTED IN EXPLORING AND WHY?
I remember hearing about dark matter and dark energy through a national geographic documentary back when I was in second grade. Since then, I have been fascinated by the mysterious force of dark matter, however as a child, I thought it to be more theoretical than solid fact. As I grew older, my interest in dark matter developed, as my desire to understand the universe only deepened.
WHAT IS ONE THING YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH IN YOUR FUTURE STEM CAREER?
The universe is so vast, which is what makes it so hard to understand. My goal is to simply make more sense of the universe and how it functions so that we better understand our origins in the cosmos.