Citlali Alcala

Curiosity can never end with space science — that’s what drew me to astronomy and physics. As Plato once said, “Astronomy compels the soul to look upwards & leads us from this world to another.” I realized that this major does exactly that for me.

I am most passionate about stars, their life cycles, and their role in galactic evolution. By studying stars, we learn how galaxies evolve, how the elements of life are formed, and how the cosmos came to be as it is today.

Beyond research, I want to make science more accessible by mentoring and helping students from underrepresented backgrounds.

I assist my professor’s research on gas flows in the Magellanic System and Milky Way using Hubble data. I study sight lines in the Large Magellanic Cloud, normalizing spectra using Python to uncover the origins and fates of gas surrounding galaxies.

Receiving this scholarship lifted financial burdens, allowing me to fully focus on my studies and research. As a Latina and first-generation student in STEM, it empowers me to pursue my dream of becoming an astrophysicist with greater determination.