Q: What are your physics/science interests?

I'm most interested in particle physics! There is just so much strange physics to be discovered at that level, whether with dark matter, neutrinos, or whatever else is produced when two particles are smashed together at almost the speed of light. Best of all, a discovery made in any of these fields is likely to transform our current understanding of physics. I have helped search for dark matter using both theoretical and experimental approaches and also worked on experimental neutrino research.

Q: What are your other interests?

I love playing volleyball and ultimate frisbee. Recently, I've also started boxing and rock climbing which are two very fun sports that I'm excited to learn more about. I've also been playing guitar and piano since I was a kid and always enjoy making music.

Q: What would you like to do after college?

I'm very excited to go to graduate school and start really diving into physics research. Not only am I excited to learn more about the field and the larger physics community, but I also hope to spread that knowledge as an educator and role model to future physicists at whatever level.

Q: Tell us one strange but interesting fact about yourself.

My middle name is J, making my legal name Jessie J (Yang) like the singer.

Q: What first sparked your interest in Physics?

While taking a practice SAT test in high school, there was a passage in the English section about the Higgs boson. The passage described the particle as being responsible for the phenomenon of mass. This simply made zero sense and led to the first of many nights on YouTube trying to understand what the universe was really made of. Four years later, I still don't totally understand what that means. Questions like this continue to push me towards a career in physics.

Q: If you could have any pet, what would it be?

Since I already have a bearded dragon, I'd want some sort of mammal. Lately, I've been thinking a ferret would be really fun, although my roommates probably would not appreciate that very much.

Q: If you had a free month and unlimited funds, how would you spend your time?

I would dedicate a lot more time towards sports and music, whether that is with better equipment or professional lessons. I would also spend more time hiking or trying cool things like learning to surf or fly a plane.

Q: If you could get a grant to study anything what would it be?

I would study the early universe, especially with larger simulations. There are an unlimited number of unanswered questions about this era of time. Answering even one could do so much for our understanding of the universe today. Also, simulations are just so fun to create and use in research.