Galactic Dynamics REU

As an undergraduate research fellow with the University of Hawaii Outer Galaxy Group, I studied whether the Antlia 2 dwarf galaxy could explain observed disturbances in the Milky Way’s outer disc.

I worked with Gaia EDR3 data, developed a stellar selection criterion using isochrones and proper-motion measurements, and used Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling to test possible orbital histories. I also explored how assumptions about dark matter profiles and dynamical friction affected numerical orbit integrations.

This was my first serious research experience. It gave me practice translating a messy scientific question into a computational experiment, tracking uncertainty, and communicating results when the answer depended strongly on modeling assumptions.

Although this is not directly AI safety work, it still informs how I approach empirical ML: define the object of study carefully, understand the measurement pipeline, and be honest about what the model can and cannot support.