Name: Manolya Yatman
Class Year: 2026
Major: Astrophysics
Minor: Applied Mathematics
Internship Organization: Keck Northeast Astronomy Consortium, Colgate University
Internship Title: Research Fellow
Location: Hamilton, NY
What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!
Photo of the Ring Nebula my friend Halle and I took while doing some recreational observing!
This summer, I am working as a Research Fellow in the Physics and Astronomy Department at Colgate University. I’m part of the dark matter research group, specifically working on Dark Stars–stars that are theorized to have formed in the early universe through dark matter annihilation rather than nuclear fusion (the same process that powers our Sun). Currently, I am developing Python codes that allow us to identify Dark Star candidates using data from the James Webb Space Telescope!
Why did you apply for this internship?
Throughout my time in college, I’ve been looking for opportunities each summer to do research in various areas of astrophysics. This year, I will be applying to graduate school, so getting experience in different areas gives me a better idea of what kind of research I want to work on in the future! I was also hoping that I would get some ideas for my Senior Thesis, and even if I end up working on something else, reading/writing scientific papers and getting experience with programming is super helpful for preparation for both my thesis and for graduate school.
Was there anything special about how you found this internship?
Research Dinner with the summer cohort (credit: Jason Qiu)
Yes! This fellowship is through the Keck Northeast Astronomy Consortium (KNAC), which is made up of eight small liberal arts colleges and universities, aiming to promote astronomy research. Bryn Mawr students can apply through our bi-co relationship with Haverford, which is a KNAC member. I found out about it after attending the KNAC Symposium last fall, where some of my Haverford friends presented their research.
What has been your favorite part of this internship?
My favorite part of the internship has definitely been working on a fringe idea, investigating an unproven theory with newly released data. Through this research, I’ve gotten a much better understanding of dark matter and how it can interact with baryonic (regular) matter, as well as the process of testing scientific theories. I also love our weekly group meetings, where I get to learn about the projects my groupmates are working on; the scientific exchange and conversations is super exciting and reminds me why I want to pursue a career in astrophysics. Outside the lab, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how vibrant the summer research community is here, even in such a rural area. I was initially nervous about making friends, but I’ve connected with students across departments. Whether it’s beach volleyball at the sand courts, late-night movies in the planetarium, or swimming in Lake Moraine, the off-hours have definitely been a great highlight of the experience.