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It had been a while since Emily Churchman had walked the halls of the Krost Center—a place she still knows well. Seguin is a long way from Chapel Hill, where Churchman is now earning her Ph.D. in physics at the University of North Carolina. Dr. Toni Sauncy, professor and chair of �������ϲ���ʷ������¼’s physics department, has called her “one of the most awarded undergraduate physics majors in the history of �������ϲ���ʷ������¼ Physics.” Churchman graduated summa cum laude back in 2019. She was a member of the Black and Gold President’s Council and a full slate of honor societies—Alpha Chi, Alpha Lambda Delta, and Sigma Pi Sigma among them.

She returned to �������ϲ���ʷ������¼ to touch base with students who are in the midst of summer research projects. She came to present a talk about globular clusters—more on those later—and to offer some encouragement. After all, it’s only been five years since Churchman sat exactly where those students sit now.

“I had such a good time and was just excited to give back, in some capacity, to the program that has given so much to me!” she says. She talked to the students about her research journey—all the way from her beginnings at �������ϲ���ʷ������¼, to Texas A&M, and the University of Notre Dame. “But I focused a lot on my current research, highlighting a lot of the issues I've had.” Issues like navigating the pandemic as a first-year grad student, not to mention massive delays—two-plus years—in the commissioning of the state-of-the-art particle accelerator she needs for her work. “I was able to tour the labs and meet with the current majors, hopefully realistically encouraging them through the remainder of their time in �������ϲ���ʷ������¼ Physics.” Churchman was also happy to catch up with Dr. Sauncy and Dr. Berggren, as well as fellow-alumna Dr. Vanessa Espinoza-Groß.

After graduating from �������ϲ���ʷ������¼ with a degree in physics and mathematics, Churchman went straight on to UNC at Chapel Hill, to the Department of Physics and Astronomy, where she’s been pursuing her Ph.D. “I finished my course requirements in 2021 and have been in the full-time research phase of graduate school since then,” she says. “My focus is on experimental nuclear astrophysics, which is usually where I get a few raised eyebrows.”

Back to those globular clusters. “In essence, my research investigates nuclear reactions that happen in stellar environments, specifically in beautiful systems called globular clusters.” These clusters may contain tens of thousands of stars—or many millions—all held together by gravity.

Churchman works in the Laboratory for Experimental Nuclear Astrophysics, one of the labs at the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory, which is operated by four local universities (UNC-CH, Duke University, North Carolina State University, and North Carolina Central University). “We use particle accelerators to create and investigate lower-energy nuclear reactions. I am currently entering my sixth year and officially became a Ph.D. candidate this past February, meaning my thesis committee has determined that my work, if completed, would provide what I need for a doctorate.”

Thus the need for that state-of-the-art particle accelerator mentioned earlier. “My hope is that over the course of the summer of 2024, I will be able to officially conduct my thesis experiment and be ready to defend in the summer or winter of 2025.”

Once Churchman finishes earning her degree, she plans to move into the “industry”—meaning she’ll be working in the field rather than in academia. “I don't know exactly what I'm looking for just yet, but I still have just a little time to figure it out,” she says.

When she’s not busy accelerating those elementary particles, Churchman keeps busy doing—well, normal stuff. “I mainly spend a lot of my free time at my church or in my church community, serving in our kids’ ministry and leading small groups for others in their 20s and 30s,” she says. “I play a lot of sand volleyball and as a creative outlet, I've picked up crocheting/knitting and like to work on puzzles!” She also spends time with her pets—a dog and a cat who are aptly named Nuke and Nova.

Her words of encouragement for those up-and-coming physics majors she met during her recent stop at �������ϲ���ʷ������¼? “It's not going to be easy, not in the slightest, but the skills you acquire in both physics and networking really do set you up for success.” This along with some good advice from someone who’s learned from experience: work on homework in groups and never be afraid to keep asking questions until the material becomes clear.

Asking questions, after all, is what scientists do. And Emily Churchman just might be the one to find the answers.