Opening Doors to the Universe: SETI Institute Expands Community College Internships

Bonnie Chi, who is studying astronomy, mathematics and physics at DVC, worked with mentors Dr. Lauren Sgro and Dr. Franck Marchis on science communications at the Unistellar/SETI Institute office in San Francisco. Bonnie wrote articles, created infographics and led social media postings for Unistellar’s citizen science community. Bonnie’s Cosmic Cataclysms article provided insight into transient events in the universe – gamma-ray bursts, novae and supernovae, and introduced the importance of Type 1a supernovae as distance indicators in cosmology. Her colorful and clear infographics, on subjects such as satellite orbits and insights into the nature of comets, will become part of Unistellar’s body of resources for citizen science astronomers. Bonnie will continue her studies at DVC in the fall, including Independent Study and telescope training with DVC’s Dr. Jean Chiar.

“Bonnie was a such a delight to work with. I’m so grateful for the Community College Internship program and that it brought her into our team,” said Dr. Lauren Sgro of Unistellar and the SETI Institute. “Getting to watch her grow her skills throughout the program was such a gift, and she created some fantastic works. I can’t wait to see what she does next in her career. Great job Bonnie!”