Thirtha Karmakar
As a child, I spent evenings stargazing and asking what lay beyond the stars, which inspired me to study physics and astronomy in greater depth.
Thirtha Karmakar Headshot
I’ve always loved the night sky and wondered how the universe works.
I’m fascinated by black holes and gravitational waves. My research uses cosmological simulations to predict how the LISA mission will detect waves from supermassive black hole mergers.
I plan to earn a Ph.D. in astrophysics and work as a professor or researcher at a leading institution such as NASA or a university, where I can contribute to cutting-edge astrophysics and mentor students.
I’ve worked with NASA Goddard’s Dr. John Baker, NASA JPL’s Dr. Michael Katz, and Dr. Colin DeGraf at Truman State University on projects modeling gravitational waves from supermassive black hole mergers.
This scholarship eased my financial stress so I could focus on research and coursework, strengthen my graduate school preparation, and continue advanced astrophysics projects.
