Lauren Ashworth's Atmospheric Research Goes Beyond Earth's Bounds

The Path to Ph.D.

“Ever since I was younger, I had a passion for space and astronomy,” said Lauren Ashworth (’22, ’27), who is a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Astronomy & Astrophysics program and a Ph.D. candidate at the Daytona Beach Campus.

Even as an undergraduate student, Lauren was excited to jump into astronomy research and quickly discovered a preference for broader topics in space and atmospheric domains.

“I was introduced to space physics and aeronomy research by my current Ph.D. advisor, which gave me the opportunity to explore a field I knew little to nothing about,” she said. “Through hands-on work analyzing ground-based observations of hydrogen in the upper atmosphere, I discovered how much I enjoyed research, which ultimately led me to pursue a Ph.D. [encompassing] space physics.”

Lauren’s love for research drew her to Embry-Riddle's Ph.D. in Engineering Physics, where she had the freedom to explore and contribute to topics she was passionate about.

“One of the things that attracted me to Embry-Riddle's Engineering Physics Ph.D. program was the flexibility to pursue research across a wide range of disciplines,” she said. “That flexibility allowed me to continue pursuing my interests in space physics while working with faculty to conduct research that aligned with my goals.”

Discoveries at the Edge of the Earth

Lauren’s research examines hydrogen activity and behavior in Earth’s outermost atmosphere, the geocorona. Through multiple methods of study, she investigates how factors such as time of day, time of year and solar activity impact hydrogen behavior.

“I’ve learned to combine ground-based observations of geocoronal hydrogen with model simulations from atmospheric models ... including the Mass Spectrometer and Incoherent Scatter (MSIS) model and the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model-eXtended (WACCM-X),” she explained.

Her technical work aims to understand the processes that drive variability in the geocorona and to improve the upper-atmospheric hydrogen structure within WACCM-X.

“I am investigating how geocoronal hydrogen responds to geomagnetic storms by comparing ground-based observations and WACCM-X model simulations to see how well the model can predict the observations during periods of extreme space weather,” she said.

Lauren’s hard work, support from her advisor, Dr. Edwin Mierkiewicz, and opportunities such as the Graduate Visitor Program (GVP) have helped her research expand even further.

Growth in the Graduate Visitors Program

The GVP is a fellowship program that provides graduate students with opportunities to work with NSF scientists and engineers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) over three months each year. Lauren was initially encouraged by Dr. Mierkiewicz to apply to the program to advance her research and professional connections. She worked with High Altitude Observatory (HAO) scientists in Boulder, Colorado, on her dissertation during her 2025 fellowship.

“This opportunity allowed me to deepen my understanding of atmospheric modeling and explore new approaches for investigating the variability of geocoronal hydrogen emissions,” she said. “Additionally, I developed greater confidence in my ability to troubleshoot complex problems, think critically about scientific results and collaborate with researchers from different institutions.”

The advisors in Embry-Riddle's Ph.D. programs are committed to their students’ growth and success. Thanks to the motivation and mentorship of Dr. Mierkiewicz, Lauren made significant progress in her research, strengthened her technical skills and forged valuable connections with accomplished scientists.

“The experience pushed me outside my comfort zone in meaningful ways,” she said. “[It] reinforced my passion for research and provided a valuable perspective on the collaborative nature of scientific research.”

From Academic to Professional Research

As Lauren embarks on the final year of her program and begins to evaluate her future, research remains central to her passions — and she is only getting started.

“The work I began during my fellowship at NCAR has opened several new research directions, including studying the effects of geomagnetic storms on geocoronal hydrogen, and I am excited to explore how these results can contribute to model validation and improve our understanding of the Earth's upper atmosphere,” she said.

Over the years at Embry-Riddle, Lauren has reached numerous research milestones. She was recently denoted as “first author,” or the leading contributor on a project, in a report for the Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences journal.

“The publication process was challenging and required thoughtful revisions and a commitment to improving the work,” she said. “Because I had been working on this project for several years, seeing it published was both deeply rewarding and validating.”

Once Lauren has earned her doctorate, she plans to continue researching similar topics professionally. She has grown into a proficient researcher with clarity about her academic and professional future, ready to take her expertise to new projects at the next level.

“I hope to obtain a postdoctoral research position at a national research center or space science institution where I can continue studying planetary atmospheres,” she elaborated. “I am excited by the opportunity to apply similar observational and modeling techniques to other planetary environments, such as Mars, and contribute to the broader understanding of how planetary atmospheres interact with their space environment.”