2022

"Developing software and building an analysis program to allow research project continuity with a new replacement digital camera” with Suman Chapai and Minh Nguyen, Luther College, 2022.

 “Initial assessment of linear tracks in 18 years of images of a half-degree square field centered on open star M23 near the direction of the Galactic center and lying near the ecliptic” with Isaac Roberts, Luther College, 2022.

 

2021

"Investigating the role of atmospheric scintillation, stellar characteristics and image alignment on photometric resolution limits achievable from a deep-atmosphere site” with Owen Johnson, Luther College, 2021.

 “Assessing how the definition of 'range of variance' impacts the results of studies of evolution in long-period pulsating variable stars” with Isaac Roberts, Luther College, 2021.

 “Searching for evidence of recent period and amplitude variations in short-period partially-eclipsing binary star system” with Darren Kremer Luther College, 2021.

 “Determining the physical and statistical significance of apparent outburst events in mono-periodic long-period pulsating variable stars” with Thandeka Chaka, Luther College, 2021.

2020

"Determining the spatial location of long-period pulsating variable stars in the field of open star cluster M23” with Owen Johnson, Luther College, 2020.

 “Assessing the relative importance stellar color and stellar neighbors to systemic errors in stellar photometry of a crowded field” with Suman Chapai, Mae Cody, Darren Kremer, Jacob Larson, Minh Nguyen and Sam Wilson, Luther College, 2020.

 

2019

"Assessment of the feasibility of using the R-I color index of stars for intra-night frame normalization to improve short-term photometric resolution” with Mae Cody, Luther College, 2019.

 “Developing efficient data storage structures for a long-term data-intensive stellar photometric monitoring research project” with Blake Krapfl, Luther College, 2019.

"Dramatic Amplitude Evolution of a Potential Cepheid Variable Star” with Rahul Bagga, Luther College, 2019.

 “Period Evolution of Partially Eclipsing Binary System” with Owen Johnson, Luther College, 2019.

 

2018

"Searching for evidence of a third body in a partially eclipsing binary system” with Torger Jystad, Luther College, 2018.

 “Assessing the feasibility of using annular aperture photometric approach to background subtraction in a crowded stellar field” with Alex Pigarelli, Luther College, 2018.

 

2017

"Development of dynamic aperture photometric techniques for enhanced stellar photometry in crowded fields” with Erik Floden, Luther College, 2017.

 “Assessing environmental factors impacting photometric precision” with Madilyn Heinke, Luther College, 2017.

 “Improved determination of eclipse parameters for eclipsing binary star systems in the field of open cluster M23” with Torger Jystad and Isaac Stivers, Luther College, 2017.

 2016

“Improved photometry to better understand apparent secular evolution in semi-regular variable stars” with Erik Floden and Kevin Honz, Luther College, 2016. Results presented at Iowa Academy of Science Annual Meeting, Cedar Falls, IA, April 2017.

 “Assessing the nature of a short-period variable star previously identified as a potential eclipsing binary system” with Jonathon Goldstein, Luther College, 2016.

2015

“Analysis of three nearly symmetrical apparent stellar brightening events as potential gravitational microlensing events” with Daniel Herman and Jusse Hirwa, Luther College, 2015-16.  Results presented at Midstates Consortium for Math and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium, Chicago, IL, November 2015.

“Building a new stellar color-based inter-night normalization to improve photometric resolution in a long-term stellar monitoring project” with Erik Floden and Kevin Honz, Luther College, 2015. Results presented at Midstates Consortium for Math and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium, Chicago, IL, November 2015 and Iowa Academy of Science Annual Meeting, Iowa City, IA, April 2016.

 “Searching for evidence of evolution in three eclipsing binary systems” with Jonathon Goldstein and Elizabeth Larget, Luther College, 2015. Results presented at Iowa Academy of Science Annual Meeting, Iowa City, IA, April 2016.

2014

“Development of background elimination techniques in searches for short timescale transient events in stellar signal” with Daniel Herman, Luther College, 2014-15. 

“Secular evolution of mean magnitude, amplitude and period of semi-regular variable stars in the field of Open Cluster M23” with David Pfotenhauer, Luther College, 2014-15. Results presented at Midstates Consortium for Math and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium, St. Louis, MO, November 2014. 

2013

“Classification of short-term transient events in the measured signal from stars in the field of Open Cluster M23” with Joe Novak, Luther College, 2013-14. Results presented at Midstates Consortium for Math and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium, Chicago, IL, November 2013.  

“Assessing the nature of  pulsating stars near the statistical limit of variability detection in the field of Open Cluster M23” with David Pfotenhauer, Luther College, 2013-14. Results presented at Midstates Consortium for Math and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium, Chicago, IL, November 2013.  

“Period stability limits for eclipsing binary stars in the field of Open Cluster M23” with Ben Anderson, Luther College, 2013. Results presented at Midstates Consortium for Math and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium, Chicago, IL, November 2013. 

“Validity tests for flare-like events in the light curves of stars in the field of Open Cluster M23” with Clara Olson, Luther College, 2012-13. Results presented at Midstates Consortium for Math and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium, St. Louis, MO, November 2012 and Iowa Academy of Science Annual Meeting, Indianola, IA, April 2013.

2012

“Assessment of phase-dependent scatter in the light curves of long period variable stars” with Clara Olson, Luther College, 2012.

“Eclipsing binary timing studies” with Jennifer Schulz, Luther College, 2012.

“Heterogeneity in the population of newly discovered pulsating stars in the field of open cluster M23” with Donald Lee-Brown, Luther College, 2011-13. Results presented at the Midstates Consortium for Math and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium, Chicago, IL, November 2011, Mid-American Regional Astrophysics Conference ,Lawrence, KS, April 2012, Midstates Consortium for Math and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium, St. Louis, MO, November 2012 and Iowa Academy of Science Annual Meeting, Indianola, IA, April 2013.

“A Fourier-based search for microvariability in the long-period variables in the field of open cluster M23” with Andrew Becklin, Luther College, 2011-12.

2011

“A statistical test for stellar variability on long timescales” with Donald Lee-Brown, Luther College, 2010. Results presented at the Mid-American Regional Astrophysics Conference, Kansas City, MO, April 2011.

2010

“Building a user interface for public science with seven years of astronomical data from Luther College” with Kirsten Strandjord, Luther College, 2010. Results presented at the Mid-American Regional Astrophysics Conference, Kansas City, MO, April 2011.

2009

“Monitoring the long-term luminosity stability of stars in the field of Open Cluster M23 ” with Alex Sperry, Luther College, 2009-10.

“Statistical studies of potential small stellar flare events in stars in the field of Open Cluster M23” with Kirsten Strandjord, Luther College, 2009.

“Study of period evolution of eclipsing binary stars in the field of Open Cluster M23 ” with Drew Doescher, Luther College, 2009.

2008

“Simulating the detection of stellar flares” with Kirsten Strandjord, Luther College, 2008. Results presented at the Mid-American Regional Astrophysics Conference, Kansas City, MO, April 2009.

“Searching for flare stars in the field of Open Cluster M23 ” with Drew Doescher, Luther College, 2008.

2007

“Stellar variability in the field of Open Cluster NGC7380 ” with Ujjwal Joshi, Luther College, 2007.

“Variable stars in the field of open cluster NGC2286 ” with Andrea Schiefelbein, Luther College, 2007-2008. Results presented at the Mid-American Regional Astrophysics Conference, Kansas City, MO, April 2009.

2006

“BVRI color measurements of stars in the field of open cluster M23 ” with Andrea Schiefelbein and Nathan Rengstorf, Luther College, 2006-2007. Results presented at the Mid-American Regional Astrophysics Conference, Kansas City, MO, April 2007.

“Search for period evolution in short-period eclipsing binaries in the field of open cluster M23 ” with Ujjwal Joshi, Luther College, 2006-2007. Results presented at the Midstates Consortium for Math and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium, Washington University, November 2006 and at the Mid-American Regional Astrophysics Conference, Kansas City, MO, April 2007.

“Monitoring variable stars in the field of open cluster M23 ” with Andrea Schiefelbein, Luther College, 2006. Results presented at the Midstates Consortium for Math and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium, November 2006 and further results presented at the 210th meeting of the American Astronomical Society, Honolulu, HI, May 2007

“Survey of rotating variable stars in the young open cluster NGC7380 ” with Nathan Rengstorf, Luther College, 2006-2007. Results presented at the Midstates Consortium for Math and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium, Washington University, November 2006 and at the Mid-American Regional Astrophysics Conference, Kansas City, MO, April 2007.

2005

“Developing a technique to survey variable stars in open clusters ” with Todd Brown and Brajesh Lacoul, Luther College, 2005.

“Using rapid photometry to search for Kuiper Belt Objects ” with Todd Brown, Luther College, 2004-2005.and Results presented at the Midstates Consortium for Math and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium, Washington University, November 2004 and at the 206th meeting of the American Astronomical Society, Minneapolis, MN, May 2005

“Detecting novel, chaotic variability in open cluster stars ” with Kari Frank, Luther College, 2004-2005. Results presented at the Midstates Consortium for Math and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium, Washington University, November 2004, at the R.J. McElroy Faculty/Student Research Symposium, Wartburg College, May 2005 and at the 206th meeting of the American Astronomical Society, Minneapolis, MN, May 2005.

“Searching for planets in open star clusters ” with Brajesh Lacoul and Alex Nugent, Luther College, 2004-2005. Results presented at the Midstates Consortium for Math and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium, Washington University, November 2004 and at the 206th meeting of the American Astronomical Society, Minneapolis, MN, May 2005.

2003

"Rapid photometric studies of the regions near open clusters M21 and M23" with Amalia Anderson, Luther College, 2003. Results presented at the Midstates Consortium for Math and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium, University of Chicago, November 2003.

"Effect of atmospheric conditions on stellar photometry from a low altitude site" with Scott Roland, Luther College, 2003.

"Stellar occultation techniques to search for Kuiper Belt Objects" with Heather Lehmann, Luther College, 2001-2003. Results presented at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, University of Utah, March 2003.

2002

"The feasibility of using small telescopes to detect planets in other stellar systems" with Travis DeJong, Dordt College, Zebadiah Howes, Buena Vista University and Matt Fitzgerald, Luther College, 2002.

"Spectrographic monitoring of supernovae" with Jami McLaren, Luther College, 2001-2002.

"Quantifying the infrared scintillation emission from xenon" with Jami McLaren, Luther College, 2001. Results presented at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, Whitewater, April 2002.

2001

"Development of an astronomical spectrograph" with Dan Bahr, Ryan Flynn and Jami McLaren, Luther College, 2000-2001. Results presented at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, University of Kentucky, March, 2001 and at the R.J. McElroy Faculty/Student Research Symposium, Wartburg College, May 2001.

"Using photomultipliers to improve energy resolution in a xenon gas scintillation proportional counter" with Phil Assmus, Luther College, 2000. Results presented at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, University of Kentucky, March 2001.

2000

"Development of data acquisition and analysis software and an observing plan for a remote observatory" with Robyn Siedschlag, Luther College, 2000. Midstates Consortium for Math and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium, Washington University, October 2000.

"Hardware calibration and development of an observing plan for a remote observatory" with Siri Thompson, Luther College, 2000. Midstates Consortium for Math and Science Undergraduate Research Symposium, Washington University, October 2000.

"Quantifying the infrared scintillation emission from xenon" with Ujjwal Raut, Luther College, 2000.

"Optimizing methane-based plane-parallel proportional counters for the detection of xenon scintillation light" with Fred Agyepong-Yeboah, Luther College, 2000.

1999

"Hardware development for X-ray astronomy" with Sarika Bajoria, Luther College, 1999.

"Development of a search for cluster-based variable stars" with Hilary Teslow, Luther College, 1999.

"Electronics contributions to energy resolution in a xenon gas scintillation proportional counter", with Angela Reisetter, Luther College, 1999.

"Study of quantum efficiency and proportional counter behavior dependence on CsI photocathode thickness", with Chad Reinertson, Luther College, 1999.

"Energy resolution limits in a xenon gas scintillation proportional counter" with Alex Phelps, Luther College, 1998-99. Results presented at the R.J. McElroy Faculty/Student Research Symposium, Wartburg College, May 1999.

1998

"Search for infrared scintillation emission from xenon" with Ujjwal Raut, Luther College, 1998. Results presented at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, University of Rochester, April 1999.

"Application of a pulse-fitting algorithm to data from a xenon gas scintillation proportional counter" with Brent Olson, Luther College, 1998.