Dominic Sicilian
BS Physics 2017; MS Physics 2020; PhD Physics 2022, University of Miami
I am lucky and proud to have called the University of Miami Department of Physics home for the better part of a decade. There, I had the privilege of learning innumerable fascinating secrets of the Universe from an elite cadre of teaching professors, who expertly craft their courses to stimulate great wonder in the inquisitive minds of their students. The departmental culture perfectly combines the University's world-renowned brand and R1 status with the department's relatively small size, resulting in a vibrant, close-knit community of professors, students, and administrators. My education at the University of Miami Department of Physics was an absolutely incomparable experience that I will always remember, and forever value, throughout all of my future endeavors.
Riley Blocker
MS Physics 2022; PhD Physics 2023, University of Miami
During my pursuit of my degree, I dedicated time to lectures and problem sets. The instruction was exceptional. However, I am grateful that these experiences were complemented by time outside the classroom and laboratory, made possible by the unique offerings of the physics department and The University of Miami. For instance, I enrolled in a semester-long scientific diving course offered by UM’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, which culminated in a week-long diving excursion in Bonaire. Subsequently, I applied the techniques I learned to scientific research dives in support of the Marine Optical Buoy (MOBY) off the coast of the island of Lanai in Hawaii. Furthermore, my research entailed the design and fabrication of an environmentally rugged optical camera system to measure the distribution of polarized light in the ocean. In this pursuit, guidance was always generously provided by the department’s machinist and electrical engineer. These experiences thoroughly prepared me for my postdoctoral position where I work on-site at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and now study the light in the ocean from a unique vantage point - space.
