When physics and astronomy major Destiny Murillo ’17 looks up at the stars at night, she sees more than most people would. This past summer, Murillo, a recipient of a Whittier College Fellowship for Underrepresented Students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education), studied core-collapse supernovae in order to learn more about the life of the progenitor stars. Her research involved use of the Swift X-Ray Telescope to obtain information about the star’s life just prior to the explosion.
Murillo presented her research, conducted with visiting physics professor Brock Russell, at the annual conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics and the Southern California Conference for Undergraduate Research.
While Murillo plans to pursue a graduate degree after Whittier, her ultimate goal is to work for NASA and “spread the knowledge of physics.” She’s well on her way to reaching those goals.
She recently began working with fellow women scientists through the Artemis Program, a project coordinated by the Center for Engagement with Communities. This program promotes STEM education among women and gives undergraduate college women the opportunity to mentor female high school juniors and seniors interested in STEM fields.
“I enjoy being a role model for young women who are interested in science and math, but are not sure how to begin pursuing a career in that field,” said Murillo.
When not studying supernovas or physics (her favorite subject is mechanics), Murillo has taken advantage of Whittier’s curriculum to learn more about the world and maintain a balanced experience.
“My favorite class outside of my major was definitely philosophy. It opened up my mind to new perspectives on social issues we deal with today,” said Murillo. “The ability to choose artsy, cultural, or philosophical classes helps to keep a nice balance in my workload.”
Originally appeared in the Summer 2016 issue of The Rock
