Job Shadow Reflection - Elena Robertson

Brigham Young University, a college in Utah, offers reputable degrees in many fields, including astronomy and physics. The college also performs non-profit research. In my desire to learn more about astrophysics, I shadowed Dr. Ragozzine, who teaches astronomy and performs planetary research. I had the opportunity to sit in on his class this semester, Intro to Astronomy, and another professor’s course on electric and magnetic physics. I was able to sit down with Dr. Ragozzine and learn about his career and education experience, some of his responsibilities, and what he enjoys about his job. I even got to see some of his current research projects! I was thrilled to watch him analyze never before seen data and make some surprising discoveries. The work environment was amazing. The astronomy course I attended was held in the Royden G. Derrick Planetarium on campus. It was a beautiful setting for the class! In addition to an amazing classroom, Dr. Ragozzine had a very bright office space where he could perform research, plan lessons, and meet with students. I looked in some other professors’ offices to find them conferencing with students. It was wonderful to see the support offered by teachers to students. Another experience I had with the workplace was planning the job shadow. When the department head couldn’t meet with me, he helped me connect with the professors. So many reached out with kindness to me! It was wonderful! As I walked around other parts of the campus, I could see professors talking with each other and students. There was a wonderful feeling of community and a welcoming spirit. It was fascinating to hear about Dr. Ragozzine’s experience and his work to get in his current position. After getting a Bachelor’s degree from Harvard, he earned his Ph.D. at the California Institute of Technology. He explained that any courses in math (especially statistics), science, or computer programming I could take early would help me prepare for my own studies. While studying, he worked on research projects. After his education, he had to get “post-doc” experience. This was also done at Cal Tech. He was assigned a mentor, who aided him in his research, which lasted for several years and prepared him for his own research. He then got hired at BYU. The professor told me he only taught one or two classes a semester, but that included lots of planning lessons and grading papers. He said two-fifths of his work time was dedicated to his research. Most of his research time is spent programming computers to receive the data he searches for, which surprised me. He networks with undergraduate students who aid in his various research projects and meets with them to ensure all is going correctly. With them, he writes and publishes research papers. He also works with professors from other universities. Currently, he is working with Penn State and a college in Oregon, in addition to a few others. I enjoyed the job shadow and learned so much! I also learned how long and difficult it can be to get a job in this field. I also learned that there is a lot of time spent in an office, which can get boring. I loved the environment and hope I can return!