Women in Research #LINO75: Grace Sweetak

Grace is a PhD candidate at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States of America.

Her research is centered on astronomical instrumentation, specifically focusing on an instrument called the integral field spectrograph. These spectrographs allow scientists to collect spectral and spatial information at the same time, which is helpful for studying stellar astrophysics, galaxies, and related fields. Her dissertation examines integral field spectrographs from simulation, observation, and engineering perspectives, aiming to understand their potential applications in both ground-based observatories and space missions.

Grace participates in the 75^th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting.

Enjoy the interview with Grace and get inspired:

What inspired you to pursue a career in science / in your discipline?

My dad. Growing up, I always leaned more towards STEM and science. Both of my parents were so supportive of this, putting both my brother and I in summer camps and programmes designed around science. One summer, my father, a career electrical engineer, bought toy rockets and we set them off in the yard. I remember being so excited about every new experiment and how much both of my parents supported my curiosity.

In college, I chose to pursue a physics degree. The first semester I was very unsure of the programme, but the first semester of my sophomore year I had a modern physics class where we talked about astrophysics for the first time. I was instantly hooked.

Who are your role models?

In my personal life, my grandmother and mother are huge role models to me. My grandmother, not by blood but by love, we called Yaya. Yaya received her PhD in education at a time when that was not common for women. However, that was the least interesting thing about her. She was fierce yet kind, and incredibly supportive of anything I set my mind to. My mom reminds me of her in so many respects. I’m fortunate enough to still have my mom with me, and she is no doubt the most supportive woman in my life. I’m inspired by her optimism and her determination for success.

Outside of my family role models, my historical role model is Hedy Lamarr. Hedy was an Austrian and American actress in the 1940s, and while best known for her beauty and acting, she was a talented inventor who coined frequency hopping in World War 2. She inspires me and reminds me that you can be intelligent and strong and also be feminine.

How did you get to where you are in your career path?

I went to Rollins College for undergraduate education, a small, liberal arts college in Florida. I originally found the school to play Division Two women’s lacrosse. In addition to playing 4 years as a varsity athlete, I majored in physics and minored in mathematics. During my last summer, going into my final year of school, I conducted astrophysics research through a research programme with Dr. Christopher Fuse. In addition to a summer of research, I became interested in pursuing a PhD in physics, specializing in astrophysics. I got into Lehigh University’s Physics PhD programme, and after the first semester, the professor I was interested in pursuing astrophysics with left the school to work on another project. I spent the remaining first year of my PhD exploring other research avenues; however, my main passion remained astrophysics.

I was suggested by the former Lehigh astrophysics professor to apply to AstroTech, a one-week summer school to teach students about astronomical instrumentation. I applied, got accepted, and made a point to do as much networking as possible to find my way back into the field I am so passionate about. As a result, at this summer school, I made two connections that changed the course of my career. The first was Randy McEntaffer. Randy, at the time, was the astronomy department head at Penn State. After two interviews, Randy offered me a research position in his lab, allowing me to conduct research without the hassle of transferring schools (and repeating classes in the process). The second connection I made was with Breann Sitarski, the deputy principal architect of the Habitable Worlds Observatory at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. After working with Randy for a semester, I saw that Breann was offering a NASA internship for graduate students. With Randy’s approval, I applied, and Breann accepted me as her intern. Within a week of working with her, I knew I wanted to do more research at NASA with her. After three weeks and a conversation with Randy, Breann officially took me as her graduate student. Now, Breann serves as my official dissertation advisor, with Randy on my dissertation committee.

With perseverance to remain in this field, I am now in my dream graduate research position, with an advisor I highly look up to and respect, and a dissertation committee supporting me.

What is the coolest project you have worked on and why?

One of my dissertation projects is creating a simulation for a potential instrument on the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO), NASA’s next flagship mission. The goal of HWO is to identify and characterize at least 25 Earth-like planets, including looking for signs of life on them. To answer one of humanity’s oldest questions, “Are we alone?”, is a task so inspiring, and I am so grateful I have the opportunity to participate in the mission. And as inspiring as the question (and future answer) is, the people I get to work with evenly match. With this project, I get to work with some of the most intelligent, collaborative, and kind people spanning academia, government, and industry.

What’s a time you felt immense pride in yourself / your work?

I feel immense pride in myself and my work when presenting. When presenting at conferences, I can explain the work I have accomplished, and I pride myself on explaining my work in a way that is digestible for any audience.

What is a “day in the life” of you like?

Typically, I start my mornings very early, around 5am. As a former athlete, I always feel better when I get a morning workout in. After a workout, I get ready and drive in to NASA Goddard. For the past couple months, my research has largely been computer based, either working on code for my simulation or looking at archival data from Keck Telescope. I should note this will change with the addition of a new, engineering based project that will have me in the lab. I may have a couple meetings, either with my advisor or the project science team for the Habitable Worlds Observatory. After work, around 5pm, I will drive back home. I typically have something going on with my friends to decompress from the day, either a social run club or just meeting them at a restaurant. I end my day pretty early and get ready to do it again!

What are you seeking to accomplish in your career?

At this point in my career, I want to be in a position where I liaison between science and engineering. Some of my biggest role models at NASA Goddard serve in this position. There seems to be a discrepancy between the scientists, who know what they want but not necessarily how to build it, and the engineers, who know how to build the instruments but not necessarily the science. As an instrumentalist, I understand how the engineering decisions that are made in constructing the instrument will impact the overall science return. I believe more concrete positions in instrumentation are necessary, and I want to be the one to bridge that gap to make the instruments that change the way we see the world.

What do you like to do when you’re not doing research?

I love to travel, exercise, read, and spend time with my friends. I am currently writing this interview from Hawaii, where I originally came for a work trip and stayed a week after to vacation. When not traveling, I exercise almost everyday. I recently got back into running thanks to a running group near my apartment that meets weekly. I have met some of my closest friends from that group, and spend time with them frequently outside of research.

What advice do you have for other women interested in science / in your discipline?

Be persistent and be loud. As a woman in any science discipline, you will become familiar with being the only woman in the room. This is okay! Ask questions. Be curious. I have had more than one advisor tell me I stood out because of the questions I have asked out of curiosity. If you want to be in the room learning about astronomy, or any discipline, be persistent about getting in that room.

In your opinion, what will be the next great breakthrough in science / in your discipline?

I believe that answering the question, “Are we alone?”, will be the next scientific breakthrough. The rise of discovered exoplanets, or planets outside of our solar system, has created an entirely new subfield within astronomy that changes the way we think about our cosmic ecosystem. The next logical question is, “Well, what about planets that look like Earth?” And with new telescopes, including NASA’s Habitable Worlds Observatory, definitive steps are being taken to answer this question.

What should be done to increase the number of female scientists and professors?

I believe there should be a stronger effort to increase visibility of current female scientists for audiences of a young age. I did not meet a female scientist in astrophysics until I was in college. Exposing students to long-lasting relationships with female astronomers, in my opinion, is key to increasing the number of female scientists in my discipline.