cv

Below is my abridged CV. You may additionally press the pdf button in order to download the full PDF version.

General Information

Full Name Tegan Alvina Thomas
Current Position 1st Year Graduate Student
Languages English

Education

  • 2021-2025
    Bachelors of Science
    Washington University in St. Louis
    • During undergraduate I double-majored in Computer Science and Astrophysics.
    • Beyond Boundaries Program.
      • The Beyond Boundaries program is an incredibly competitive interdisciplinary program where I have the opportunity to explore lots of other fields such as business and politics while pursuing me degree.
      • It focuses on examining the intersection of different fields and creating an interdisciplinary mindset that I can apply to future learning or jobs.

Experience

  • 2024-2025
    National Society of Black Physicists/Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory EHT Scholar
    Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Massachusetts
    • Through the EHT Scholar program, I began working with Dr. Angelo Ricarte investigating the observational characteristics of near-maximal spin SMBHs.
    • As part of the program I gave both a mid-program and final presentation on my research, and will also present my research at the 245th AAS Winter meeting.
  • 2023-2025
    Physics Research Experiences for Undergraduates Student
    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
    • As part of the Physics REU program I worked with Dr. Charles F. Gammie exploring modified gravity theories in simulated images of SMBHs.
    • With the program I gave both a mid-program and final presentation. Additionally, I gave a talk at the Illinois Summer Research Program Alliance Symposium and a poster presentation at the 243rd AAS Winter meeting.
  • 2022-2025
    Undergraduate Research Assistant
    Washington Unviersity in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
    • At WashU, I worked with Dr. Yajie Yuan creating a scheme for making interactive 3D visualizations of the magnetic field lines around neutron stars.
    • I presented my work at the 2023 and 2024 Conferences for Undergraduate Women in Physics and at the 2023 WashU Physics Research Symposium.

Open Source Projects

  • 2023-present
    IPOLE
    • An implementation of the Einstein dilaton Gauss Bonnet and dynamical Chern Simons theories of gravity within the general relativistic radiative transfer code IPOLE.

Honors and Awards

  • 2021
    • Fall 2021 Deans List
  • 2022
    • Spring 2022 Deans List
    • Fall 2022 Deans List
  • 2023
    • Spring 2023 Deans List
    • Fall 2023 Deans List
  • 2024
    • Spring 2024 Deans List
  • 2025
    • Fall 2025 Deans List
  • 2025
    • American Astronomical Society Chambliss Poster Award Finalist

Academic Interests

  • Black hole physics.
    • Plasma behavior around black holes and other compact objects.
    • Jet formation and evolution.
    • AGN feedback over cosmological timescales.
  • Neutron Stars.
    • Magnetars as a source of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs).
    • Neutron star mergers & gravitational wave analysis.
    • Acceleration processes close to neutron stars.