Graduate student in the Astronomy and Astrophysics
Division of the UCLA Department of Physics and Astronomy studying theoretical astrophysics.
Click below to read a description of our new study that investigates how the James Webb Space Telescope may reveal the previously undetected supersonic motions of our early Universe. To read the published Letter in the Astrophysical Journal, click here.
A supersonic relative velocity between baryonic matter and dark matter in the early universe creates baryon-only objects, which could be the progenitors of today's globular clusters.
In regions of the universe with a highly supersonic stream velocity, halos dominated by dark matter form with spatially-offset baryonic components. These may be the progenitors of some ultra faint galaxies.
My research publications and academic work can be found here:
Claire E. Williams, William Lake, Smadar Naoz, Blakesley Burkhart, Tommaso Treu, Mark Vogelsburger, Federico Marinacci, Yurina Nakazato, Naoki Yoshida, Gen Chiaki, Yeou S. Chiou, Avi Chen
ApJL 960 L16 (2024)
Claire E. Williams, Smadar Naoz, William Lake, Yeou S. Chiou, Blakesley Burkhart, Mark Vogelsburger, Federico Marinacci, Gen Chiaki, Yurina Nakazato, Naoki Yoshida
ApJ, 945, 1, id.6, 21 pp. (2023).
I am passionate about inclusion in the physics and astronomy community. My outreach work includes public planetarium talks, peer mentoring to undergraduate women and gender minority students in STEM, and volunteer tutoring to help undergraduate seniors from underrepesented backgrounds apply to graduate school in physics and astronomy.
As a teaching and lab assistant in many physics and astronomy classes, teaching has been an essential part of my career.
Please reach out to me at my email. I am available for meetings in-person on the UCLA campus or remotely over zoom.
I am a third-year graduate student in Astronomy and Astrophysics at UCLA working in Smadar Naoz's research group. Originally from Portland, OR, I received my Bachelor's degree in physics at Carleton College in Northfield, MN.
In my free time, I love to surf and spend time outdoors, and I'm also a bit of a foodie and love to cook and bake. At UCLA, I am taking full advantage of the beautiful weather and beaches to surf every week! I miss my dog Percy and my four sweet kitties who are at home in Portland.
ORCiD