Briley L. Lewis [email protected], http://www.columbia.edu/~bll2124 Columbia Department of Astronomy 550 W. 120th St. New York, NY 10027
Education: Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia College Expected May 2018 B.A. Astrophysics Cumulative GPA: 3.64 Senior Thesis: Project 1640: Searching for Stellar and Sub-Stellar Companions
Research Experience: American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY May 2016 – Present REU Student and Undergraduate Research Intern Advisor: Dr. Rebecca Oppenheimer. • Participated in three observing runs with the Project 1640 team at Palomar Observatory in California. • Processed infrared images using Python to suppress speckles and detect exoplanets, created lists of targets and assisted in planning for observing runs, and assisted in confirmation of new companion discoveries using astrometry and spectral typing.
Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD June 2017 – Present SASP Summer Intern Advisors: Dr. John Stansberry, Dr. Bryan Holler, Bryan Hilbert • Analyzed hyperspectral images and other data products from the New Horizons mission to investigate the relationship between topographic factors and the distribution of volatiles on Pluto. • Created insolation models and maps of surface slopes/gradients for Pluto, based on data from New Horizons’ MVIC and LEISA instruments.
NASA Goddard Institute for Space Science (GISS), New York, NY October 2015 – April 2016 Undergraduate Research Intern Advisor: Dr. Michael Allison • Plotted 1-d atmospheric models in Mathematica in preparation for the processing of the data from NASA’s Juno satellite mission. • Worked on calculations regarding 1-d atmospheric modeling of Jupiter’s deep atmosphere, such as with adiabatic lapse rates and the ideal gas law.
American Museum of Natural History, Center for Biodiversity and Conservation Spring 2015 Research Intern • Utilized EndNote bibliographical management software to maintain an accurate and complete database of research papers related to the topic of inquiry. • Contributed to the center’s active projects in biodiversity conservation.
NASA Women in STEM High School Aerospace Scholars Program, Houston, TX Summer 2013 • Worked with a team to complete a project about designing a radiation shield and a miniature robotic “Mars Rover”, and presented our work in a competition against three other teams.
Computational Experience: LaTeX, Git, Bash (command line), Python, IDL, QGIS, Mathematica, SQL, Java
Professional Memberships: American Astronomical Society, AAS Division for Planetary Sciences, American Physical Society, Society of Physics Students Publications/Presentations: Articles: B.L. Lewis, J. Stansberry, W. Grundy, B. Schmitt, S. Protopapa, L. Trafton, B. Holler, W.B. McKinnon, L. Young, A. Stern, H. Weaver, C. Olkin, K. Ennico, P. Schenk and the New Horizons Science Team. “Topographic and other influences on Pluto's volatile ices.” In preparation.
E. Carlson, L.C. Roberts Jr., R. Oppenheimer, J. Aguilar, R. Nilsson, B.L. Lewis, et. al. “Binary Stars from Project 1640 Observations”. In preparation.
J. Aguilar, R. Nilsson, R. Oppenheimer, B.L. Lewis, L. Pueyo, et. al. “Discovery of a New Companion Object through High-Contrast Imaging”. In preparation.
B.L. Lewis, R. Oppenheimer (2017). “Direct Imaging of Exoplanets with Project 1640.” Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal, Volume 11, Spring 2017. New York, NY. cusj.columbia.edu
B.L. Lewis, H. Yang, A. Seetharaman. (2015). “Our Future in the Stars.” Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal, Volume 9, Spring 2015. New York, NY.
Conference/Public Talks: • New Horizons: Understanding Pluto (Columbia University Public Outreach Lecture, New York, NY, April 2018) • Topographic Influences on Pluto’s Nitrogen Ice (New Horizons Science Team Meeting (STM) invited talk, JHU APL, Laurel, MD, January 2018) • Undergraduate Research Panelist (Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics 2018 – Columbia/CCNY/Barnard, January 2018) • Direct Imaging of Exoplanets with Project 1640 (ASNY meeting invited prize lecture, November 2017) • Topographic and other influences on Pluto's volatile ices (Space Astronomy Summer Program Symposium, Space Telescope Science Institute, August 2017) • Direct Imaging of Exoplanets with Project 1640 (Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal Speaker Series, Columbia University, April 2017) • Direct Imaging of Exoplanets: Extreme Astrophotography (“Arts and Astro” outreach event, Columbia University, March 2017) • Direct Imaging of Exoplanets with Project 1640 (Summer 2016 REU Symposium Presentation, American Museum of Natural History, August 2016)
Posters Presented: • B.L. Lewis, J. Stansberry, et. al. and the New Horizons Science Team. (2017) “Topographic and other influences on Pluto's volatile ices.” January 2018, 231st American Astronomical Society Winter Meeting, National Harbor, MD. • B.L. Lewis, et. al. and the New Horizons Science Team. (2017) “Topographic and other influences on Pluto's volatile ices.” October 2017, Division for Planetary Sciences, Provo, UT. • B.L. Lewis, R. Oppenheimer (2017). Direct Imaging of Exoplanets with Project 1640. January 2017, Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ. • B.L. Lewis, R. Oppenheimer (2016). Direct Imaging of Exoplanets with Project 1640. Fall 2016, Columbia Undergraduate Research Symposium, Columbia University, New York, NY. • B.L. Lewis, R. Oppenheimer (2016). Direct Imaging of Exoplanets with Project 1640. AstroFest 2016, Columbia University Department of Astronomy, New York, NY.
Conferences Attended: • APS Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP), Columbia/CCNY/Barnard, New York, NY, January 2018 • 231st American Astronomical Society Winter Meeting, National Harbor, MD, January 2018 • Astronomical Society of New York, Union College, Schenectady, NY, November 2017 • 49th Division for Planetary Sciences Meeting, Provo, UT, October 2017 • APS Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP), Princeton University, Princeton, NJ. January 2017 • SAMSI Astrostatistics Workshop for Undergraduates, Research Triangle Park, NC, October 2016 • CoolStars19, Uppsala, Sweden, June 2016 • APS Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP), Wesleyan College, Middletown, CT. January 2016
Awards/Honors: AAS Chambliss Undergraduate Honorable Mention (January 2018) Astronomical Society of New York (ASNY) Undergraduate Research Prize (Fall 2017) Universities Space Research Association (USRA) Scholarship Honorable Mention (2017) Columbia University Sorority Scholar Award (Spring 2017) Columbia College Dean’s List (Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017) Columbia AstroFest Undergraduate Poster Award (2016)
Scholarships/Fellowships: Universities Space Research Association (USRA) Scholarship Honorable Mention, 2017 Division for Planetary Sciences Hartmann Student Travel Grant Recipient, 2017 Alpha Chi Omega Marian McKee Smith Rosalie McKinney Jackson Scholarship, 2017 Anaheim United Methodist Foundation Scholarship, 2014-2017 John J. Cirigliano Scholarship Fund Recipient, 2016 Alpha Chi Omega Janet Marie Bradley Brown Ball Breece Memorial Scholarship, 2016
Teaching Experience: Columbia University Department of Astronomy, New York, NY Spring 2016 – Spring 2017 Grader / Teaching Assistant
Kaplan, Inc., Orange, CA July 2015 – March 2016 Pre-College (ACT) Instructor
Community Service and Extracurricular Activities: Columbia University Undergraduate Astronomy Club (BlueShift) January 2015 – Present Member / President / Senior Advisor / Founder
Columbia University Department of Astronomy January 2015 – Present Public Outreach Volunteer
Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics 2018 October 2017 – Present Organizing Committee / Volunteer
Columbia College Student Council (CCSC) February 2017 – May 2017 Academic Affairs Representative
Alpha Chi Omega, Theta Psi Chapter March 2015 – Present Member / Secretary / Alumnae Chair
Columbia University New Student Orientation Program August 2015, August 2016, August 2017 Orientation Leader
Big Sibs – Community Impact at Columbia University September 2015 – October 2016 “Big Sister” / Mentor Volunteer
Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal, New York, NY September 2014 – October 2015 Associate Editor
Discovery Science Center, Santa Ana, CA June 2011 – July 2015 Volunteer