Dr. Erba's Research Group

Faith is a 2024 McNair Scholar who is majoring in Physics at East Tennessee State University (graduating Winter 2025). She is the Society for Physics Students (SPS) Associate Zone Councilor for her region, and previously served as her chapter's SPS President. Faith completed an Advanced Research Internship project in the spring of 2025 modeling linear polarization signatures in the circumstellar environments of Luminous Blue Variable (LBV) stars. Check out our recent publication in the Astronomical Journal (2025, 170, 10) to learn more! You can also read Faith's article for AAS News about her experience at the 2025 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Catalyzing Advocacy in Science and Engineering (CASE) workshop here.

Larra is a 2024 McNair Scholar and an officer in ETSU's chapter of the Society for Physics Students. She is majoring in Physics at East Tennessee State University with an anticipated graduation in Winter 2025. Her contributed talk at the 2024 AAS Winter meeting and Advanced Research Internship project used SpecpolFlow to measure the longitudinal magnetic field of the magnetic B-type star xi1 CMa near its never-before-seen negative magnetic extremum.

Sophie is an undergraduate student at ETSU, double-majoring in Physics and Geology, with a planned graduation in Spring 2026. Check out the poster she presented at the Winter 2023 AAS conference on the variable star Mira!

Grace is a 2022 McNair Scholar and a graduate of ETSU Physics. She is currently a graduate student in Physics at Auburn University. During Grace's Advanced Research Internship, she worked with Trevor Cox to create a new program for ETSU's Planetarium called "Astronomy in Appalachian Culture." Check out our article describing our experience in the September 2024 issue of the Planetarian, the journal of the International Planetarium Society!

Trevor is a 2022 McNair Scholar and a graduate of ETSU Physics (with Honors). They are currently a graduate student in Physics at Washington State University. Trevor also holds a BBA in Management from ETSU. During Trevor's Advanced Research Internship, they worked with Grace Anderson to create a new program for ETSU's Planetarium called "Astronomy in Appalachian Culture." Check out our article describing our experience in the September 2024 issue of the Planetarian, the journal of the International Planetarium Society!