Hayley West
Masters Student
I am the newest member of Dr. Richard Anantua's theory and simulations-focused research group. Upon completing theoretical galactic evolution work at my alma mater, the University of Florida, where I majored in Geology and minored in Physics and Astronomy, I embarked on a year-long project at the Pigah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) in North Carolina. There, I adventured into the area of Radio Astronomy, and took observational drift scans of AGNs, culminating in a light curve of Cygnus A transiting the PARI 26m East Dish. During this bridge year, I had been proactive in joining group meetings and making it into the acknowledgements of a paper led by Brandon Curd, Richard's postdoc. Currently learning radiative transfer tools GRMONTY and IPOLE for analyzing spectral components of Sgr A* and M87, I will formally begin my UTSA master's degree this Fall of 2023, where I am excited to dive into theoretical work on a deeper level.