• Berkeley Undergraduate Researchers

    Students in the N3AS undergraduate research program are supported directly by N3AS. In addition to a scientific mentor, the students have a non-science mentor and participate in bi-weekly lectures or activities with N3AS members. Learn more about the program.

    You will also find recent scientific poster presentations by undergraduates below.


    Meet recent participants

    Santiago Rodriguez stands in front of classroom.
    Santiago Rodriguez stands with scientific poster.

    Santiago Rodriguez, Former student;
    REU Coordinator, Space Sciences Laboratory

    Publication on arXiv.org
    by Lucas Johns and Santiago Rodriguez:
    Collisional flavor pendula and neutrino quantum thermodynamics →

    Neutrino flavor oscillation occurs because neutrinos emitted in a certain flavor are composed of a superposition of different neutrino mass states. In a dense enough environment, neutrino self-interactions synchronize flavor on large scales. In the two-flavor approximation, the resulting dynamics show similar behavior to the classical spinning top and inverted pendulum under some conditions. We explore the neutrino flavor pendulum with the addition of charged-current interactions and absorption/emission processes. In addition, investigating their effects in densities and time scales relevant to the isotropic and monochromatic emission of neutrinos from core-collapse supernovae, similar to neutrino the bulb model. We are able to identify the synchronized and bipolar modes of oscillation and constrain the polarization pendulum to a sphere and a circle in flavor space.

    In 2023, Santiago has presented this research at the American Physical Society Far West Section, in San Diego.


    Malika Golshan, Former student;
    SULI intern at LBL

    Neutrinos, once thought to be massless according to the standard model, have proven otherwise due to the fascinating observation of neutrino flavor oscillations. In our research project, we take a unique approach by harnessing the power of machine learning to address a crucial question: Can computers aid in distinguishing between mass-bearing and massless neutrinos? By leveraging Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) on simulated weak lensing maps, our goal is to achieve a more accurate measurement of neutrino mass using cosmological methods.

    I am deeply grateful to both my mentors. Vanessa, my initial mentor, provided me with a solid foundation and inspiration for this project. Adrian then became my mentor while transitioning to his postdoctoral position at Princeton. His unwavering dedication and expertise guided me through the intricacies of data analysis.

    Malika Golshan

    Malika Golshan


    Henry Purcell

    Henry Purcell

    Henry Purcell, Former student;
    Intern, NASA Ames Research Center

    Publication accepted by Physical Review D (May 2024)
    by Henry Purcell, Sherwood Richers, Amol V. Patwardhan, Francois Foucart:
    Three-flavor, Full Momentum Space Neutrino Spin Oscillations in Neutron Star Mergers →

    In the presence of anisotropic neutrino and antineutrino fluxes, the quantum kinetic equations drive coherent oscillations in neutrino helicity, frequently referred to as spin oscillations. These oscillations depend directly on the absolute mass scale and Majorana phase, but are usually too transient to produce important effects. In this paper we present a full momentum-space analysis of Majorana neutrino spin oscillations in a snapshot of a three-dimensional neutron star merger simulation. We find an interesting angular dependence that allows for that resonant and adiabatic oscillations to occur along specific directions in a large volume of the merger remnant… read more


    Photo of Daniel Xing in front of Campanile

    Daniel Xing

    Graduated 2023, currently training in Los Alamos, working with the DUNE team

    Discovering the origin of neutrino’s mass and their oscillation parameters could answer the matter antimatter asymmetry in our universe, and allow us to better understand astrophysics phenomena. Currently, multiple flagship experiments exploring neutrinos are underway, and to have full confidence in their results, accurate and precise neutrino nucleus cross sections are required. My project is to analyze data from lattice QCD calculations to determine one of these cross sections.

    Current Students

    StudentResearch MentorCareer Mentor
    Danial BaradaranBoryana HadzhiyskaEvan Grohs
    Emilie CotePedro EspinoAnna Suliga
    Sangeeta KumarLuca BoccioliSanjana Curtis
    Quentin Le NyNoah WeaverdyckJulien Froustey
    Tess MessererEvan RulePayel Mukhopadhyay
    Nathan OlsonNoah WeaverdyckKen McElvain
    Juan PeresRaul MonsalveElena De La Hoz
    Halim Perez MelendezMalcolm LazarowIvan Burbano
    Pallas Ka’alele Ki’ai BeddowSatya Gontcho a GontchoTianqi Zhao
    Sophia RisinWenbin LuDake Zhou
    Hong Joo RyooDimitra PefkouEvan Rule
    Jorge SanchezSanjana CurtisAnton Baleato Lizancos
    Sumbal SharifJan Shutte EngelErmal Rrapaj
    Samyak TiwariNathaniel LeslieLukas Graf
    Shengzhu (Alex) WangAnton Baleato LizancosEvan Grohs
    Catherine WelchMia KumamotoErmal Rrapaj
    Carlin WillPatrick CheongAaron Meyer
    David YangJulien FrousteyNathaniel Leslie
    Raymond YumManuela SaezErmal Rrapaj

    Past Students

    StudentResearch MentorCareer Mentor
    Abhay AgarwalManibrata SenXilu Wang
    Tehya Andersen
    Berkeley Physics PhD program
    Luke JohnsSherwood Richers
    Angela Beatty
    Great-NS-internship in Nuclear Division, LBNL;
    San Francisco State Physics MA Program
    Anna SuligaWick Haxton
    Niranjan BhatiaEvan GrohsXilu Wang
    Yu Hong ChanEvan RuleEvan Grohs
    Claire Tianyi ChenMinas KaramanisMengke Li
    Jasmine CrawfordLuke Johns
    Iman Fahmy
    UW Seattle Physics PhD program
    Ermal RrapajAmol Patwardhan
    Ben GoldXilu WangEvan Grohs
    Malika Golshan
    SULI Internship, LBL
    Adrian BayerPedro Espino
    Rose HinsonJoe De RosePatrick Cheong
    Vi Hong
    Berkeley Physics PhD program
    Jeff BerrymanXilu Wang
    Yiran KeBaha BalantekinManibrata Sen
    Ben Knepper
    Internship, LBL
    Anupam RayKen McElvain
    Kevin LamPayel MukhopadhyayAnupam Ray
    Brandon Lem
    FRIB Michigan State PhD Program
    Anna SuligaNathaniel Leslie
    Terry LiWick HaxtonAnna Suliga
    Annie McCutcheon
    MA, UC Davis
    Wick HaxtonDake Zhou
    Emma McGinness
    Physics PhD program, U. Chicago
    Wick HaxtonErmal Rrapaj
    Henry Purcell
    Internship, NASA Ames Research Center
    Sherwood RichersAmol Patwardhan
    Druv Punjabi
    MS in Theoretical Physics, University of Oxford
    Nathaniel LeslieAaron Meyer
    Santiago Rodriguez
    REU Coordinator, Space Sciences Laboratory
    Luke JohnsPedro Espino
    Paul ShinAmol PatwardhanSherwood Richers
    Gabrielle Stewart
    Harvard Smithsonian Astrophysics Institute Internship
    Elena de la HozNoah Sailer
    John WahlmeierErmal RrapajKenneth McElvain
    Daniel Xing
    DUNE internship, LANL
    Aaron MeyerSherwood Richers

    Spring 2024 Talks Schedule

    DateTimeSpeakersTopicLocation
    2/6 or 2/14/20244:00 PMRaul Monsalve (SSL, LuSee)Observing the birth of the first stars at the lowest radio frequencies
    2/22/2024TBDSanjana Curtis (UC Berkeley Astro Postdoc)Explosive astrophysical events and the origin of elements
    3/14/20242:00 PMSatya Goncho a Goncho (LBNL, DESI)Mapping the universe in 3D as a way to learn its evolution and its content
    3/20/2024TBDElena De La Hoz (Astrophysics Postdoc)Detecting primordial gravitational wave signatures within the CMB polarization data
    4/11/2024TBDDimitra Pefkou (UC Berkeley Postdoc)Hadron structure from Lattice QCD
    4/25/2024TBDStudentsPoster prep, practice, review
    5/2/20249:00AM –
    1:00PM
    Student presentersPoster session

    Fall 2023 Talks Schedule

    DateTimeSpeakersTopicLocation
    10/6/20235:00 PMWick Haxton; Laura Fantone;
    new local mentors
    Intro/Social/How to…
    for new students
    10/19/20233:00 PMNoah Sailer and Tehya AndersenApplying to Grad SchoolN3AS 3rd Floor / Zoom
    10/26/20233:30 PMErmal Rrapaj / Malcolm LazarowKey Research Skills: reading papers and keeping up with publications in your fieldN3AS 3rd Floor / Zoom
    11/2/20233:30 PMKaori FuyutoThe Mystery of Matter in the UniverseN3AS 3rd Floor / Zoom
    11/17/202312:00 PMLuca BoccioliCore-Collapse SupernovaeN3AS 3rd Floor / Zoom
    11/29, 11/30,
    and 12/1/2023
    Time TBDStudentsPoster prep, practice, reviewN3AS 3rd Floor
    12/7/20239:00AM –
    12:00PM
    10-12 student presentersPresenters + intro Q&A + receptionRoom 375

    Recent Research Presentations

    Poster Anderson — Oscillating Neutrinos as Open Quantum Systems
    Poster Baradaran — Predicting the 21 cm Field with a Hybrid Perturbation Theory Approach
    Poster Bhatia — Big Bang Nucleosynthesis: Characterizing Abundances of Light Abundances
    Poster Chan — Quantum Annealing for Many-Body Physics
    Poster Cote — Simulating Differentially Rotating Hybrid Stars;
    Classifications of Unknown Transients Using ParSNIP (ULab mentor)
    Poster Crawford — Anomalous Diffusion in MRI: Fractional Derivatives versus Relaxation Spectra
    Poster Fahmy — Bayesian Analysis of the Detection of Astrophysical Neutrinos
    Poster Golshan — Neutrino Detection Using Machine Learning
    Poster Hinson — Redshift Calibrations for Next-Generation Surveys
    Poster Hong — Axion Searches from Chandra Observation of Magnetic White Dwarf
    Poster Kumar — Calculation of Neutrino Propagation Through the Sun;
    Simulating Supernova 1987A Remnants (ULab mentor)
    Poster Lem — Uncertainties of EFT coupling limits from dark matter direct detection experiments stemming from nuclear shell model calculations
    Poster Messerer — Flavor-Violating Axions: From the Lab to the Cosmos
    Poster Purcell — Neutrino Spin Oscillations Catalyzed by the Fast Flavor Instability
    Poster Risin — Likelihood of tidal disruption events as second generation mergers of binary black holes
    Poster Rodriguez — The Flavor Pendulum in Collective Neutrino Oscillations
    Poster Shin — Cosmology and Non-Standard Equations of State
    Poster Sharif — Optimizing Ground-Based Gravitational Wave Detectors—Resonant Spheres
    Poster Stewart — Advancing CMB component separation: HEALPix Parameters’ maps
    Poster Tiwari — Compact Binary Merger Gravitational Wave (GW) Signal Model for a Rotating Earth
    Poster Wang — Delensing the CMB B-Mode with Simulated Galaxy Density
    Poster Will — Mass Ejecta and Magnetic Winding in a Highly Magnetized, Hypermassive Neutron Star;
    Magnetic Energy Transfer in Kerr Black Holes (ULab mentor)
    Poster Xing — Violation of the Gell-man–Okubo Relation with Lattice QCD
    Poster Yang — Flavor Oscillations and Sterile Neutrino Production in the Early Universe
    Poster Yum — Classifications of Unknown Transients Using ParSNIP;
    Argon Cross-Sections and Supernovae Neutrinos at the DUNE Experiment (PDF)