I am a 5th year graduate student in the Astronomy Department at UC Berkeley. I work with Eliot Quataert studying the deaths of massive stars in weak or failed supernovae in order to model the electromagnetic signatures of black hole birth.
I earned my B.S. in Physics (Astrophysics) in 2018 from UC Santa Cruz where I was a Regents Scholar and a 2017 Barry Goldwater Scholar. At UCSC, I worked with two wonderful mentors, Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz and Morgan MacLeod, studying the common envelope phase in the formation of close compact binaries as well as the general problem of the accretion and drag experienced by binary systems interacting with gaseous environments.
I am a first-generation college student and I was introduced to physics by (the amazing!) Mel Vaughn at West Valley community college. Participating in the Lamat REU during the summer before transferring to UCSC was critical to my path to grad school because it introduced me to astrophysics, connected me with incredible mentors, and gave me an opportunity to do science very early on. Mentoring continues to be the central focus of my service time. I am on the executive committee for POWER – Bay Area, a mentoring program and workshop series for Bay Area community college students. Talk to me if you’d like to get involved!
Outside of astronomy, I enjoy birdwatching, reading novels, doing crosswords, and spending time with family (including my cats).
Andrea Antoni 