- Cornell University
- University of Cambridge (Natural Sciences, Physics: interview invitation)
Cornell University (ED) — Astronomy and Physics
An A-Level student with no SAT/ACT, admitted ED to Cornell and invited to interview at Cambridge on exoplanet and black-hole research and an online astronomy course she built for 89 children in Gansu.
- Major
- Astronomy, Physics
- Round
- ED
- Curriculum
- A-Level
- GPA
- Top 15%
- TOEFL
- 112
- SAT / ACT
- None
Applicant profile A young woman scientist who explores the world from different angles through physics and art, full of enthusiasm and curiosity, who sees research and public science education as her calling.
Activities
- Explored plasma physics and general relativity; computed particle motion around black holes; paper on the geodesic equation (supervised by a University of Toronto professor)
- Independent research and paper on exoplanet detection (supervised by a Columbia PhD mentor)
- University of Chicago astrophysics summer program: stellar physics
- Paper on methods for estimating stellar ages (Tsinghua University and Beijing Planetarium)
- Founded a round-table seminar discussing topics across disciplines
- Founded an astronomy club with astrophotography workshops
- Online English and astronomy classes for 89 children in Gansu; guided reading of National Geographic in English and recognising celestial objects
- Music: a cappella club, performing for children with autism
- 2023 workshop on characterising exoplanet atmospheres
- Zooniverse volunteer analyst: identifying gaps in stellar light curves to detect exoplanets
Awards
- PhysicsBowl, National Gold, Division 2
- British Physics Olympiad, global silver
- British Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad, global bronze
- Euclid Mathematics Contest, top 25%
- Harvard International Review academic writing contest, bronze
Main essay
Starting from her passion for physics, she proposed an online astrophysics course for rural children and was turned down because of the gap in prior knowledge. Believing everyone has the potential to learn, she developed her own curriculum and taught rural students astronomy, proving they were just as bright as city students and only lacked resources, and coming to value teaching critical, independent thinking to the public. With the astronomer Vera Rubin as her model, she continues both research and outreach.
Supplemental essays
- “Any person… any study”: founding the cross-disciplinary round-table seminar, which grew from 4 people to over 100 members.
- Arts and Sciences response: science fiction, physics research, astrophotography, and how they fit Cornell.
Recommendations and additional materials
- Recommenders: school physics teacher, English teacher, UChicago summer-program mentor
- Three astronomy papers
- One Harvard International Review article (topic: the impact of technology on society)