My name is Laurel and I'm a graduate student in the physics program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. I do observational astronomy research on galaxy clusters with Professor Michael McDonald. I also love teaching!
I am originally from Syracuse, NY and I have a B.S. in Physics with a minor in Mathematics from Syracuse University.
My current interest is in the evolution of galaxy clusters over cosmic time. To that end, I am working on characterizing the Cluster Evolutionary Reference Ensemble At Low-z (CEREAL) sample, which is a mass-selected sample of clusters with redshifts between 0.15 and 0.25 that have been followed up with Chandra.
During my four years at Syracuse University, I conducted gravitational-wave research with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory and the Syracuse University Gravitational Wave Research Group under Professors Peter Saulson and Duncan Brown.
I have a strong interest in teaching and serving diverse populations of students. Most recently, I have served as the 2024-25 Teaching Development Fellow for the MIT Physics Department in conjunction with our Teaching and Learning Lab. In this role, I have developed a new seminar course in professional development for physics graduate teaching assistants, which I will be running as a pilot in Fall 2025.
I also spend a week each summer as a Research Project Leader with the Warrior Scholar Project STEM Bootcamp at MIT. I work with veterans and active duty US military members to do hands-on astrophysics research.
Please visit my ORCID page for a complete list of publications
I work as a mascot performer on MIT's Team TIM!
I liked to do all sorts of crafts, particularly knitting, crocheting, and sewing. I also love to hike with my rescue dog, Bodie.
Email: lvwhite@mit.edu