Summer Research at University of Oxford for Physics Major

Gaia Fabi, Verrazano Class of 2019, completed major in Physics 

Last summer, I was one of the seven European students who were chosen for an Astrophysics research project at the University of Oxford. Although I was a little hesitant at first to spend the summer in yet another academic environment which I had never experienced before, I am really glad decided to work there. As soon as I arrived in Oxford, I immediately loved the place. I felt at home. Since we all shared the same dormitories, I had the chance to meet and get to know my colleagues who would work with me in the Astrophysics Department. Except for one American girl, the others were from Europe and we all felt bonded by our common cultural roots and professional interests and goals. 

When I arrived at the University on my first day of work, I fell in love with the campus. I almost felt like I was part of a Harry Potter film setting! I met my mentor, Prof. Leah Morabito, who introduced me to her colleagues and to the project on Radio Astronomy which I was going to work on during the summer. The project consisted on testing the theory which would unify different types of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) as a single class, predicting that they are not physically different but they appear to be different because we observe them from different viewing angles. AGNs are very interesting objects, since they are believed to be a result of accretion of matter by a supermassive black hole at the center of its host galaxy. 

For my analysis, I looked at the projected linear sizes of a selected sample of radio sources from the Lofar Two-Metre Sky Survey. This survey is provided by the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR), which is a powerful radio telescope in the Netherlands. I found my project fascinating and I was extremely engaged with it. Thanks to this research project, I was able to give my own contribution to a better understanding of the physics behind such powerful object in our universe, that is AGNs. 

Although the working hours were quite demanding – I worked from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday – after work and on weekends I would meet with my fellow interns and we would have a lot of fun going to museums, movie theaters, pubs, and even punting. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to meet the astronomer Jocelyn Bell, the scientist who discovered pulsars and one the pioneers in engaging women in the STEM field. 

I feel that overall this experience has turned out to be a good preview of my future career and it has given me the chance to appreciate working in Europe. Through my project, I have learned some important research skills such as problem solving and critical thinking. I have also found out some things about myself and the tough skin I will need in order to stay in the area of astrophysics and pursue a PhD in this field. I can firmly state that working at Oxford has been one of the best experiences I have ever had. 

Tayla Lugo (Class of 2017) received a Verrazano School Study Abroad Scholarship to take a class on the Medieval Renaissance in Florence, Italy. She spent a month extracting everything she could out of her experience, including traveling well beyond Florence.

My name is Tayla Lugo and I am a Verrazano Student and a double major in English Writing and Literature at the College of Staten Island. This summer I had the privilege to study abroad in one of the most amazing cities in the world: Florence, Italy. I went on a one month long Faculty-led program to learn about the Medieval Renaissance.

I learned about the Medici’s, who were one of the wealthiest families during the Renaissance period, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Donatello, Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli, Savonarola, Brunelleschi, and many other prominent figures. My class and I went on many site visits, which included the Academia, the Uffizi, Palazzo Vecchio, a city walk around Florence, the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, the Horne Museum, and a visit to a Preschool in Florence. At the Academia I was able to view Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the David. The Uffizi, which is one of the oldest and most famous museum in the world, showcased Sandro Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus and The Primavera, as well as many other works by Raphael and Giotto. My favorite museum that we visited as a class was the Horne Museum because it is a secret treasure that is extremely undervalued. This museum once belonged to the Alberti and Corsi families and contains antique furniture and famous artworks.

Florence and beyond!

While in Italy I visited Pisa, Siena, Capri, Ana Capri, Sorrento, Positano, Cinque Terre, Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, Venice, Murano, Burano, Rome, and Paris. Every city was different in its own way, which allowed me to have a greater appreciation for Italy. Studying abroad not only opened my eyes to the endless possibilities in the world, but has also allowed me to escape my comfort zone. I can honestly say that I have matured during this unique experience and my passion for traveling has awakened. I have made true, genuine friendships that will last a lifetime. Florence became my home in an instant and I cannot wait to someday return and maybe even study there again! I am forever grateful to the College of Staten Island for this amazing opportunity and for everyone who contributed to my dream of studying abroad. I hope that my experience will allow other students to inquire about studying abroad and open their minds to the many possibilities that are out there!

From The Director's Desk - Verrazano Travels in 2014

Professor Charles Liu, Verrazano Director, did some traveling in 2014 as part of his academic work.  Below, he shares some of his observations about the places he visited.  Note the Verrazano t-shirt worn proudly, and be sure to bring your Verrazano t-shirt on your next adventure!

The Verrazano School is still young - just finishing our seventh year of existence - and not everyone has heard of us yet.  That’s changing, of course, as Verrazano alumni increase in number and continue to do great things that carry our reputation far and wide.  Meanwhile, I am happy to spread our name wherever I go.  In the tradition of Verrazano students sharing their study abroad experiences, I’ll describe a few touristy highlights from some of my 2014 academic travels:

Vindobona ruins

Vienna, Austria - At the height of the Roman Empire, Vindobona was a thriving fortress and settlement.  Today, the great city of Vienna is built on Vindobona’s foundations, and one branch of the Vienna Museum (free admission on the first Sunday of every month!) is dedicated to that history.  The ancient Romans welcomed a diverse population that brought a wide variety of languages, religions, and cultural practices into its domain, while it propagated its government and technology outward.  (Read on to see what I mean...)

Bratislava

Bratislava, Slovakia - Either by boat along the Danube River or by commuter bus along the highway, it’s almost easier to travel from Vienna to Slovakia’s first city than it is to go from Staten Island to New Jersey.  So I went!  Bratislava is a relatively small city, yet rich with history, culture, and art.  It was a great half-day sojourn to amble around this Eastern European capital, once behind the Iron Curtain and now a vibrant, growing free economy.  Have some bryndzové halušky - super-delicious traditional Slovak dumplings with sheep cheese and ham - when you go.

Masada and the Dead Sea

Masada - This UNESCO World Heritage Site in southern Israel is far more than just an opulent ancient Roman palace and fortress overlooking the Dead Sea.  The Roman siegeworks that surround the palace, occupying some 700 acres, are the best-preserved of its kind in the world.  Although the palace towers more than a thousand feet above the desert floor, the Dead Sea basin is so low that the palace’s highest point is less than 200 feet above sea level - half the height of Todt Hill.  It was particularly remarkable to me that many of the architectural features of the palace, including its heating and plumbing systems, looked exactly like the features I saw in Vienna’s Vindobona ruins, 1,500 miles and a continent away.  Pretty amazing, those ancient Romans.

Rawabi in the West Bank

Rawabi - In the West Bank, 15 miles north of Jerusalem and 15 miles south of Nablus, is a residential community under construction that is being modeled after American-style planned communities like Reston, Virginia.  When completed, Rawabi will have schools, shopping, an amphitheater, and 6,000 family homes.  It felt to me as if I were touring a new subdivision being built on Staten Island - complete with model homes, showrooms, and construction vehicles rolling around and beeping from all sides.

In all my travels, what struck me most was the commonality of the people I saw and met - all of our shared hopes and aspirations, all of us doing the best we can and trying to do the right thing, and all of us making the most of what we have to make the world a better place.  The leader of the development at Rawabi said it well; he told us that he grew up in Nablus, just a few miles away, and when he visits he sees his childhood friends and acquaintances still there - many of whom are more gifted and talented than he - who never left their hometown, and never explored beyond the limits of what they’d known since birth.  He counted himself so fortunate that he had the chance to go to the United States, to live and get an education here, so he could learn and see all the amazing things that exist in this world, and then embrace the opportunities he saw to make a good life for himself, his family, and his community.  Sometimes the world can feel a little too big, or crazy, or intimidating; if we can remember, though, to ground ourselves in what really matters, as one human being to another, then all that other stuff will seem much less daunting as we strive to do the best we can, one day at a time.      

Exploring Italy: A Winter Intersession Adventure

Shiney David, a Psychology major in the Verrazano Class of 2013, is studying abroad in Florence, Italy for the winter intersession.  As a Verrazano Study Abroad Scholarship recipient, Shiney is sharing her study abroad experience on the Verrazano Voyager.  Read below to find out how Shiney is doing in the beautiful city of Florence.

I have been in Florence, Italy for approximately two weeks now and my stay here has been more than amazing. Florence looked exceptionally beautiful in pictures and movies; however, viewing Florence with my own eyes has been an overwhelming experience. From the architectural scenery to the natural landscapes, Florence has not failed to mesmerize me. Although the first couple of days here were the toughest for me, it did not take me long to adjust to the Italian lifestyle and start feeling at home. A huge contribution to this adjustment was made by the people of Italy. Everybody here is so humble, down to earth, and helpful that you never feel like you are in a new strange country. Other than the people, the place itself captivates you with its beauty and you just forget about being homesick. The first time that I had to take a step back and literally pinch myself was when I saw the Duomo on my way to finding my apartment. The structure is so large and surreal that it almost looks like it does not belong there. Yes, it looks amazing when you search it on the Internet but seeing it in real is an indescribable experience.

Within the past two weeks I also traveled to Rome and Venice. I thought that nothing could be more beautiful than Florence; however, I was proved to be wrong once again. Venice, one of the most beautiful and most romantic cities in the world gave me the best memories to take home with me. I had only dreamed about riding a gondola and visiting Piazza San Marco.  Actually experiencing it first-hand was an unreal experience. Rome left me speechless. The Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Vatican City are just a few places that I had an opportunity to visit. The architecture and the history behind the architecture was very interesting, and I find myself very lucky to have had the opportunity to learn about it personally.

So far, it may seem that all I have done since I arrived is travel. Although I have seen a lot, I have also had great academic experience. My class is within five minutes walking distance from my apartment. There are eleven students in my class and my professors are the best professors I have had so far. My professors are very helpful in teaching me the new language. They take time out for each student and go over the material a million times until the student feels comfortable using it correctly. This aspect has helped me immensely in learning Italian. I have also seen significant improvement in my speaking ability as I am always interacting with an Italian-speaking population. In order to improve my Italian, I visit the market after class and interact with the locals.  The people are so helpful and correct my grammar without being agitated.

I was nervous about coming to Italy and taking an Italian language class. Nevertheless, I can say now with confidence that studying abroad was the best decision that I have made so far. Now that I only have a week left, I actually don't want to go back home. In these past two weeks I have accumulated the best memories of my life and I will never forget this experience. 

To learn more about the study abroad programs offered through the Center for International Service at the College of Staten Island, please visit the study abroad website.