Trainees Attend the Mid-American Regional Astrophysics Conference (MARAC)

By: Cristina Andrade and Emma de Bruin
February 20, 2025

The Mid-American Regional Astrophysics Conference (MARAC) took place this past December at the University of Kansas (KU). Two students, who work on topics in multi-messenger astronomy in Dr. Michael Coughlin’s group at the University of Minnesota, share their experiences attending this conference.

Cristina Andrade writes:

Attending the Mid-American Regional Astrophysics Conference (MARAC) was a rewarding experience that helped to develop both professional and personal skill sets. One of the highlights was collaborating with my research group. We had the opportunity to work together to practice elevator pitches for our research, review our posters, and prepare short presentations. This teamwork made it easier to identify areas for improvement and helped us better communicate our research.

This conference provided an occasion to present my poster on kilonova detectability with the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and gave me a chance to practice, reflect and improve my science communication skills with those outside of my research group. Feedback from peers and faculty was especially helpful in learning how to share my research effectively and to reduce my use of jargon.

I also had the chance to network with faculty from other universities, primarily the University of Kansas. These conversations provided insight into the variety of paths available in academia, along with valuable feedback on graduate applications and practical advice on networking strategies.

A key moment for me was hearing the keynote speaker, Stuartt Corder, explain how organizations like the NSF, NASA, and the DOD work both independently and together. Our conversations provided insights that gave me a better understanding of how to navigate the field and plan for my career based on my interests. It was also a wonderful opportunity to get feedback from someone who works in close proximity to the Rubin Observatory.

Throughout this event, we had the opportunity to travel independently, which has always been a positive experience for me. Travel like this builds my confidence and has helped prepare me to handle career experiences in a variety of environments.

Emma de Bruin adds: 

Attending MARAC was a great way to develop professional skills like networking and presenting research in a concise and engaging manner. Practicing my elevator pitch with faculty at KU was very helpful; I hadn’t realized how used to talking to gravitational wave (GW) people I am, and I was able to learn how to communicate my work with people outside of my discipline effectively. The advice given on aspects of applications like writing a personal statement and a CV was also useful as I am applying to graduate school. After the talk, I found myself modifying both documents to include the advice mentioned.