Peter Braunschweig is a Physics (May, ‘19) major, URA Scholar, and a member of the UMBC Honors College. His goal is to obtain a doctorate in astrophysics and have a career in research.
Project Title: Urban Heat Islands and the Great American Eclipse
Studying the St. Louis Urban Heat Island During the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse
Cities are made of materials that hold in heat, so at night, they cool off less than the area around them. I am investigating to see if this effect is visible during the eclipse as well, using data from surface weather stations and weather balloons.
Mentor: Dr. Jeffery Halverson, Geography and Environmental Systems
How did I find my mentor/project?: We already knew each other when he started looking for a student to assist in a research project relating to the eclipse. I was very interested in the opportunity to see a solar eclipse, so I jumped at the chance. I came up with the idea to put together a side project of my own, which became the heat island project.
How has being a URA scholar helped?: The URA program provided guidance to help me plan the project and understand where to start.
Hardest part: Time management and keeping on schedule.
Most rewarding part: So far, seeing the eclipse. But I'm not done my data analysis yet.
Plans to share research: I will have a poster at URCAD on April 25th!
Advice for other students: Know what you're getting into and how to manage your time.
Photo: A volunteer at the viewing site helping me and Dr. Halverson prepare weather balloons.
Be like Peter and become a URA Scholar- get up to $1500 to support your research or creative work! Go to: ur.umbc.edu/ura
