Vera Berger
NSF Graduate Research Fellow & Dean of Science Fellow at MITAbout
I am a first-year PhD student in Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where I research high-energy astrophysics. I recently pursued an MPhil in Scientific Computing at the University of Cambridge as a Churchill Scholar.
My research focuses on the dynamic behavior of stars, particularly how they change on timescales from seconds to hours, and how these rapid changes inform our understanding of stellar structures and their influence on surrounding environments. I have primarily studied stellar flares, using simulations and multiwavelength observations to investigate their impact on planetary habitability. My master’s thesis focused on magnetohydrodynamic simulations of magnetic reconnection, a fundamental but mysterious change in stellar magnetic field topology which produces stellar flares.
I graduated from Pomona College in 2023 with majors in mathematics and physics. While at Pomona, I pursued additional projects on supernova host galaxies and partially ordered sets. I worked as a teaching assistant and Student Body President.
Outside of science, I play roller derby and cook a dish from a different country each week.