Employment
June 2019 -present
Associate Professor, Department of Physics & Affiliate Professor of Mathematics, Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, VA, USA)
Sept. 2013 - June 2019
Assistant Professor, Department of Physics & Affiliate Professor of Mathematics, Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, VA, USA)
Sep. 2011 - Aug. 2013
Postdoctoral Researcher, Center for the Fundamental Laws of Nature, Department of Physics, Harvard University (Cambridge, MA, USA)
Sep. 2008 - Aug. 2011
Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA, USA)
Sep. 2008 - Aug. 2009
Visiting Researcher, Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton, NJ, USA)
Visiting Positions/Fellowships
2010
Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics,
UC Santa Barbara.
2012
Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge
2012
Simons Center for Geometry and Physics, Stony Brook University.
2019
Simons Center for Geometry and Physics, Stony Brook University
2024
Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, UC Santa Barbara
Education
2004-2008
Ph.D in Mathematical Physics, University of Oxford
Thesis Advisors:
Philip Candelas (Mathematics) and Andre Lukas (Theoretical Physics)
Thesis Advisors:
Philip Candelas (Mathematics) and Andre Lukas (Theoretical Physics)
2003-2004
MSc. in Physics, Utah State University.
Summa Cum Laude
Summa Cum Laude
1999-2003
BSc. in Physics, Utah State University.
Summa Cum Laude (4.0 GPA, Ranked first in graduating class)
Summa Cum Laude (4.0 GPA, Ranked first in graduating class)
1999-2003
BSc. in Mathematics, Utah State University.
Summa Cum Laude (4.0 GPA, Ranked first in graduating class)
Summa Cum Laude (4.0 GPA, Ranked first in graduating class)
Significant Awards, Scholarships & Fellowships
2023
College of Science Diversity Award, Virginia Tech (recognition of efforts related to diversity and inclusion)
2020
Emmy Noether Fellow, Perimeter Insitute
2017
Hamlett Fellow in the Academy of Integrated Science at Virginia Tech
2015
Virginia Tech "Scholar of the Week"
2015
Virginia Tech "Favorite Faculty Award" (Teaching recognition for excellence in introductory level courses).
2013
Royal Society University Research Fellowship (UK) (10 years and £600K of funding). (Declined to accept position at Virginia Tech).
2010
Humbolt Postdoctral Fellowship (DFG Germany), Fermi-McCormick Fellowship (U. Chicago) and NSF International Research Fellowship (Declined to accept position at Harvard).
2007
Apgar Scholarship, Magdalen College, University of Oxford
2004
US National Science Foundation, Graduate Research Fellowship
2003
Utah State University "Blue Light Honoree" for exceptional accomplishments.
2003
Rhodes Scholarship
2003
Marshall Scholarship (Declined to accept Rhodes)
2003
Utah State University Valedictorian and Commencement Speaker
2003
College of Science Valedictorian, Utah State University
2002-2003
Golden Key and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society Awards.
2002
1st Place Winner, Dirac Centennial Conference Poster Competition
2001
Goldwater Scholarship in Science and Engineering
Teaching Experience
2013-present
Instructor for undergraduate and graduate level courses in the Department of Physics and the Academy of Integrated Science at Virginia Tech.
2023
Lecturer at the 2023 Summer School on Machine Learning in Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (University of Oxford, UK). One week lecture course on Machine Learning for Calabi-Yau Metrics (co-taught with James Gray (VT) and Magdalena Larfors (Uppsala)).
2019
Lecturer at the 2019 IAS Park City Mathematicas Institute (PCMI) on Quantum Field Theory and Manifold Invariants (Park City, Utah). Three week lecture course on Gauge Theory, Gravitation, and Geometry (co-taught with Laura Frederickson (Stanford)).
2018
Lecturer at the 2018 CERN Winter School on Supergravity, Strings and Gauge Theory (Geneva, Switzerland) One week lecture series on Heterotic geometry and Effective Theory (co-taught with James Gray (VT)).
2017
Lecturer at the 2017 Theoretical Advanced Studies Institute (TASI) Summer School (University of Colorado, Boulder) One week lecture series on Geometric Tools for String Compactification.
2016
Lecturer at the Cargese Summer School on Quantum Gravity, Cosmology and Particle Physics (Cargese, Corsica) One week lecture series on Calabi-Yau Geometry and String Dualities.
2012
Lecturer at the "Strings to the LHC" Workshop in Puri, India (Sponsored by TIFR and HRI) One week lecture series on Heterotic String Compactifications.
2012
Lecturer at the "Graduate Summer School on String Phenomenology" at the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics One week lecture series on Calabi-Yau Geometry.
2006-2008
Stipendiary Lecturship in Applied Mathematics, Pembroke College, University of Oxford
Junior Faculty Position. Responsibilities included teaching all 1st and 2nd year Applied Math and Physics subjects (responsible for 16 subjects, classes and tutorials
2006
Stipendiary Lecturship in Applied Mathematics, Somerville College, University of Oxford
Responsibile for all 2nd-4th year Applied Math and Physics subjects
2005-2006
Lecturing/Tutorial Positions in Physics and Mathematics
At Exeter, Brasenose, St. Edward's, Worcester and Somerville Colleges and Lady Margaret Hall. University of Oxford.
2004-2006
Teaching Assistant, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford
Undergraduate and graduate level Quantum Mechanics, General Relativity, Special Relativity and Electromagnetism. Lecturing, Problem Classes, and marking student work.
2005-2006
Private Tutor for students at Eton College
Provided review and exam preparation in Mathematics for Eton College pupils.
2005
Faculty Member, the Oxford Tradition
Designed and taught an intensive one month, 85 hour summer course in Quantum Physics for talented international high school students. Oxbridge Programs.
2005
Teaching Assistant for Utah State University, Department of Physics.
Responsibilities included lecturing, teaching recitation classes and labratories, marking student work and tutoring
Responsibilities included lecturing, teaching recitation classes and labratories, marking student work and tutoring
Other Professional Experience
2011-2017
Conference Organizer for conferences in String Theory:
I have organized many conferences, workshops and programs in String Theory over the past decade. See a sample here.
I have organized many conferences, workshops and programs in String Theory over the past decade. See a sample here.
2015-present
Reviewer for the US National Science Foundation, the FWF Austrian Science Fund, the UK Research Councils, the Ministry of Universities and Research of the Italian Republic, and the Swiss National Science Foundation.
2004-present
Reviewer/Referee for journals in high energy particle physics, string theory and mathematical physics:
AMS Math. Rev, Can. Jour. of Phys., Phys. Rev. D, JMP, JHEP, Comm. Math. Phys., Adv. High Energy Phys, SciPost, and Galaxies.
AMS Math. Rev, Can. Jour. of Phys., Phys. Rev. D, JMP, JHEP, Comm. Math. Phys., Adv. High Energy Phys, SciPost, and Galaxies.
2013-present
Seminar Organizer For Virginia Tech Department of Physics "Particle Seminar" series.
2012-2013
Seminar Organizer For the "Postdoc Journal Club", Center for the Fundamental Laws of Nature, Harvard University.
2008-2011
Seminar Organizer For the High Energy Theory Seminar, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennyslvania.
2009-2022
Member of the Committee of Selection for the Rhodes Scholarship Invited postion. US Districts 1 & 5.
2019-2022
Member of the Committee of Selection for the Schmidt Science Fellowships. Invited postion.
2015-present
Member of the National Committee of Selection for the Goldwater Scholarships for Science and Engineering. Invited position.
2008-present
Class Secretary for the American Association of Rhodes Scholars. Elected position.
Volunteer & Science Outreach Experience
2022-present
Mentor for the String Mentoring Program.
2019-2023
Advocate for professional support for caregivers at Virginia Tech (authored a proposal and advocated for a new fund to support child/elder care expenses related to professional travel for VT Faculty and postdocs).
2022-present
Organizer of a Peer Mentoring Network for Physics Undergraduate Students at Virginia Tech.
2017
Organizer for the Undergraduate Women in Physics Conference (APS sponsored) at Virginia Tech in 2017.
2015-present
Volunteer Mentor for the "Women in High Energy Physics" network. International support network for women in particle physics (under represented).
2015-present
Participant in the "African Scholars Network", providing career/CV advice to African scientists applying for PhD/Postdoctoral/Faculty positions.
2013-present
Volunteer Mentor for the Virginia Tech Undergraduate Honors Program and the "Ladies of Robeson" Society for Undergraduate Women in Physics.
2011-2013
Volunteer with TheoryNet Boston Science outreach lecturer in public schools in the Boston area.
2005-2008
Participant in the "Researchers in Residence" program. A program of the UK National Research Council that places science researchers in secondary schools for outreach lectures, projects and demonstrations.
2005
United States Delegate World Conference on Physics and Sustainable Development Delegate and presenter at UNESCO funded conference, Durban.
2004
Lecturer in the "Road Scholars" tour An educational outreach tour of Utah Secondary Schools. Delivered talks and lectures in schools on topics in modern physics.
2003
Narrator and co-designer of the Utah State Universtiy College of Science's "Think Science" undergraduate recruitment video.
2003
Organizer and creator of the "Cool Ideas in Science!"
workshop A two-day community workshop for students of all ages and their families, providing hands-on exploration of fundamental ideas in science and examples of exciting current research.
1999-2002
Member of the NASA sponsored "Get Away Special" team A student lead program to design and build experimental payloads to be flown on the space shuttle. Designed and programmed the microcomputer system for the experiments as well as the environmental control circuits and data analysis systems. Payload flew on the Space Shuttle Endeavor in 2001.