Can you tell me a little about yourself?
My name is Nora Linzer. I’m originally from Chicago (unless if you are reading this and you are from Chicago, then I’m from Evanston). I’m going into my senior year at Caltech where I am a physics major, with all of my research focused on astronomy. In school, I run a science demo teaching program where every week we show local demonstrations for students, also coaching them for elementary level science olympiad.
How did you get interested in astronomy?
Ive always been interested in science in general. As a kid, I did a biology program where they let us do real adult experiments. But I got into physics specifically in high school because I had a really great teacher, who we all called him Doc V. And I got hooked on astronomy after doing some research.
What is your favorite part about Copenhagen? Dawn?
My favorite part about Copenhagen is how there is always something new to discover and explore. From where we're living, you can start walking in nearly any direction and eventually run into a castle or museum. It's also so easy to get around, which I really like. Walking is always great, and it's so simple to bike or take public transit. I really appreciate the atmosphere at DAWN. The people working here, as well as the other REU students, are so welcoming. It doesn't hurt that we get cake all the time, either.
What motivated you to apply to an international REU?
I haven't had time to do a study abroad program, but I still wanted the experience of living in a different country, so this opportunity seemed perfect. I really enjoy traveling to new places, but I've never gone this far on my own. I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone. The research opportunities here were also really appealing.
Can you tell me about your summer research project?
I am working with Charles Steinhardt to estimate how many high-redshift galaxies JWST will discover. Currently, JWST is estimated to find extremely high-redshift galaxies, but these calculations don't account for the clustering of galaxies. When clustering is included, it seems that it will be much more difficult for JWST to find any of these galaxies. My work now is to develop a strategy for the telescope that may overcome this problem.
What skills and knowledge would you like to acquire this summer?
I think I have improved my ability to do research independently, without having my mentor guide me through every problem. I've had to learn a lot about my research topic on my own, and I have been free to try my own ideas. My ability to present my work has also improved this summer.
If you could have any superpower what would it be?
I've had the same answer since I was about seven when I watched the movie Sky High. The movie is about teenagers with superpowers, and one girl had the power to control plants. I don't know why, but I thought that was the coolest power ever. Now I think teleportation would be great because I could travel or go home whenever I wanted.
