Throughout my academic journey I have worked alongside people of many different nationalities and backgrounds which has improved the quality of research I have conducted thus far. Having the opportunity to connect with experts across the world in my field would surely be invaluable, and will open doors for future career prospects and collaborations. Often in the United States a vast majority of the science output we are exposed to comes from within the US, so having the opportunity to see what the international community has accomplished and is currently working on will give me a greater perspective on the work I do and the positively impact the trajectory of my career. I believe my work -- past, present, and future -- would and will be of interest to the members of the forum, and I would like to share my work and expertise to help further expand the fields of astronomy and planetary science.

I study the thermal environment of the Moon using the Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. My particular interests are the thermal environment of lunar pits and caves, the affect of regolith structure and composition on the thermophysical properties of the lunar surface, and the creation of high resolution lunar thermal maps to aid in future exploration efforts.