CV

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Contact Info

Email: majlopez [at] ucsc [dot] edu

Education

Physics (Astrophysics) B.S. (Summa Cum Laude); University of California, Santa Cruz, 2018
  • GPA: 4.00, Highest Honors in the Major
Mission College; Santa Clara, transferred 2015
  • GPA: 3.92

Research Interests

Theoretical and computational astrophysics, transients, high energy astrophysics, compact objects, formation channels of LIGO sources.

Research Experience

Junior Specialist; UC Santa Cruz, 2018-2019
  • Studied the structure of binary black hole tidal disruption events using Eulerian and Lagrangian numerical simulations.
Undergraduate Research Fellow, Supercomputer Lab for Undergraduates; UC Santa Cruz, 2016-2018
Advisors: Prof. Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz and Dr. Aldo Batta
  • Utilized 3D Lagrangian simulations and Python to study dense stellar systems.
Open Questions in Astrophysics Program; Neils Bohr Institute, 2018
Advisors: Prof. Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz
  • Gained exposure to cutting-edge research in various fields of astrophysics such as high energy astrophysics, star formation, galaxy dynamics, and cosmology. Discussed issues of diversity and inclusion in the astronomy community.
NBIA & DARK Summer School: Multi-Messengers from Compact Sources; Neils Bohr Institute, 2018
Advisors: Prof. Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz and Dr. Aldo Batta
  • Investigated how tools from an array of disciplines (numerical relativity, neutrino physics, high-energy radiative processes and more) can be utilized to better understand gravitational wave and electromagnetic sources.
Kavli Summer Program in Astrophysics; Neils Bohr Institute, 2017
Advisors: Prof. Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz and Dr. Aldo Batta
  • {Initiated the study of tidal disruptions of stars by LIGO binary black holes to understand the evolution of their individual spins.
NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates, Lamat; UC Santa Cruz, 2017
Advisors: Prof. Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz and Dr. Aldo Batta
  • Examined the physical encounters between compact objects and red giants using analytical methods.
  • Derived from first-principles multiple order of magnitude estimates to calculate rates of collisions and significance of feedback energy on the system.

Computational Skills

Hydrodynamics
  • Proficiency in the Lagrangian Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamic (SPH) formulated code GADGET-3 (Springel, V.). GADGET-3 utilizes MPI.
Programming Languages
  • Python
  • UNIX
  • Fortran
  • Shell Scripting
  • Super Computer Batch Scripting
  • LaTeX
  • Julia
  • C/C++
  • MATLAB
  • SQL
  • HTML/CSS
  • CSS
Supercomputers
  • University of Copenhagen HPC@UCPH Cluster
  • UC Santa Cruz Hyades Cluster

Publications

“Tidal Disruptions Of Stars By Binary Black Holes: Modifying The Spin Magnitudes And Directions Of Ligo Sources In Dense Stellar Environments”, Martin Lopez Jr., Aldo Batta, Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz, Irvin Martinez, Johan Samsing. 2018, The Astrophysical Journal, Accepted to ApJ.


“Probing the Black Hole Merger History in Clusters using Stellar Tidal Disruptions”, Johan Samsing, Tejaswi Venumadhav, Liang Dai, Irvin Martinez, Aldo Batta, Martin Lopez Jr., Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz, Kyle Kremer. 2019, Accepted to PhysRevD.

Honors & Awards

Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Prize Fellowship; 2019
UCSC Women’s Club Scholarship (Re-Entry Scholarship); 2017
Ron Ruby Memorial Scholarship; 2016-2017
Karl S. Pister Leadership Opportunity Award; 2015-2017
Dean’s Honor List; 2012 – Present

Presentations

Poster, High Energy Astrophysics Division 17th Meeting; Monterey, CA, 2019
Tidal Disruptions by Binary Black Holes in Dense Stellar Systems
Talk, Transient Lunch; UC Santa Cruz, 2018
Tidal Disruptions by Binary Black Holes
Talk, TDE Meeting; UC Santa Cruz, 2018
Tidal Disruptions by Binary Black Holes: Altering Birth Spin Magnitude and Direction
Presentation, UC Board of Regents Meeting; San Francisco, CA, 2018
The Benefit of Undergraduate Research
Poster, American Astronomical Society 231st Meeting; Washington, DC, 2018
Understanding The Spin Evolution of LIGO Sources
Talk, Dynamically Assembled Binaries at the Beach Program; UC Santa Cruz, 2017
Understanding The Spin Evolution of LIGO Sources
Talk, Department Funding Presentation; UC Santa Cruz 2017
Red Giant Depletion Through Collisions in Dense Stellar Systems
Talk, Prof. Ruth Murray-Clay Group Collaboration Presentation; UC Santa Cruz, 2017
Red Giant Depletion Through Collisions in Dense Stellar Systems
Poster, Undergraduate Research Symposium; UC Santa Cruz 2016
The Extermination of Stars Through Collisions

Outreach, Services, and Experiences

High School Spring Into STEM Day Lab Tour Host; UC Santa Cruz, 2019

STEM Diversity

STEM Transfer Day SLUG Lab Tour Host; UC Santa Cruz, 2016-2018

STEM Diversity and STARS

COMET Mentor; UC Santa Cruz, 2016

STARS

Tutor, Introduction to Scientific Computing; UC Santa Cruz, 2016

Learning Support Services

Free Tutoring Services, Math; Santa Clara, 2015

Muslim Community Associate

Peer Mentor, Arithmetic, Elementary Algebra; Mission College, 2014-2015

AANAPISI

Tutor, Physics, Math, Statistics, Chemistry, and English; Mission College, 2014-2015

Academic Support Center

Languages

English and Spanish (Native)
Arabic
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