Navigating the Stars

With a passion for uncovering the mysteries of the universe, Abigail Connors (’27) is turning her dreams of becoming an astrophysicist into reality — all while gaining hands-on experience at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University.

A Future in the Making

As a Space Physics major at Embry‑Riddle’s Prescott Campus, Abigail is doing far more than just studying the stars — she’s working with real data, using professional-grade equipment and learning what it means to contribute to the scientific community. Through immersive, hands-on experiences that begin as early as freshman year, she’s gaining the tools, confidence and perspective she’ll need for a lifelong career in space physics.

Before enrolling at Embry‑Riddle, Abigail questioned whether she was ready to take on the journey of becoming a professional astronomer — but that changed quickly.

“I was skeptical about my abilities to be an astronomer. I had doubts that I wasn’t prepared enough or I wasn’t ready to be a scientist,” she said. “However, after taking [the] PS 332: Techniques of Observational Astronomy, it has relieved me of that skepticism. I now feel that I am worthy enough to be an astrophysicist. This class has reinforced my passion for this field.”

Her journey through the Space Physics program has helped her gain confidence in both her technical abilities and her identity as a scientist.

“My views on my role in the scientific community have changed in more ways than one. At the start of this course, I didn’t feel like I was a valuable member of the astronomy community because I hadn’t made any discoveries,” she said. “After the course, I can confidently say that I have cemented my role as an astronomer!”

This newfound confidence has been pivotal in shaping her academic journey and beyond.

A Hands-On Education

At Embry‑Riddle, Abigail discovered an academic environment that prioritizes real-world learning, where undergraduates are empowered to do industry-level work right away. That access, she says, sets Embry‑Riddle apart from other institutions.

“At most other universities, students do not get hands-on experience with astronomy; that is usually given to master’s or doctoral students, but especially not undergraduates,” she said. “With this one course, I was able to gain knowledge of how to reduce and analyze data. With these new skills, I am now much farther ahead in learning the ‘tricks of the trade’ of being an astrophysics researcher.”

One of her most meaningful experiences came during a visit to Lowell Observatory — the world-renowned research site where Pluto was discovered. There, she didn’t just observe history; she became part of it.

Building Skills for the Future

Through research, collaboration and strong faculty mentorship, Abigail is gaining the skills and experiences that will serve as the foundation of her career — whether she’s managing telescopes or publishing research.

“The skill that I talk about most is my newfound ability to use and understand professional-grade telescopes. Not many people can say that they have run an observatory telescope before, and I take a lot of pride in that,” she said.

From operating the university’s 16-inch telescope to programming her own data analysis, Abigail is learning by doing — and pushing the limits of what’s possible at the undergraduate level.

“PS 332 has not only taught me how to collect data at the observatory but also how to code, refine and process the data that we took. It is quite remarkable how much we learned from one semester,” she explained. “We were also taught how to write a scientific paper, which we completed as our final project. We were tasked with writing about our star that we studied throughout the semester, RY Persei, and explain, with visual aids, what we hypothesize is occurring.”

Alongside her classmates, she even made a noteworthy discovery that illustrates how undergraduates at Embry‑Riddle are actively contributing to new knowledge.

"Through looking at the calibrated data that we took at the on-campus observatory, as well as data from other sources, we were able to determine that RY Persei is two stars orbiting each other, with the denser star ripping apart its companion star.”

Inspired to Discover

For Abigail, moments like these aren’t just memorable — they’re a glimpse of what lies ahead. Whether she’s aligning telescopes or processing light curves, she’s already developing the tools and knowledge needed by a working astrophysicist.

“Contributing to knowledge is exhilarating enough as it is, but to do it as an undergraduate is beyond belief,” she shared. “I was joking with my parents about how strange but exciting it was that my classmates and I discovered that one star of RY Persei was tearing the other one apart. My dad reminded me that I just did that without a college degree yet and how impressive that is.”

Her experience at Embry‑Riddle has clarified her goals and equipped her to pursue them — from graduate school to large-scale research teams solving cosmic mysteries.

With several research projects already under her belt, Abigail is now focused on preparing for graduate school and long-term work in astrophysical research. She hopes to one day join a team uncovering new cosmic phenomena — and help others find their place in the field, too.

“I sincerely hope that my degree will be the launchpad for me to land in a team that discovers what dark matter is or why the expansion of the universe is accelerating,” she said. “And hopefully, I can also be the one to inspire more people about astronomy!”