Splash Biography



LUIS FERNANDO MACHADO POLETTI VALLE, Yale Sophomore majoring in Astrophysics



Major: Astrophysics

College/Employer: Yale

Year of Graduation: 2018

Picture of Luis Fernando Machado Poletti Valle

Brief Biographical Sketch:

Luis is, before anything else, Brazilian. A passionate soccer player, a vivid STEM lover, an excited researcher and an always-improving member of the Ballroom Dance Team.
He grew up in São Paulo and used to participate in science olympiads of al sorts. In some of these he had the chance of representing Brazil in intrnational Astrophysics and Physics competitions, in which he met wonderful international students who also loved the experience of learning from as many people as possible.
From these experiences he decided to apply to study in the US, and after getting into Yale he continued his passion with STEM (as an Astrophysics Major), with learning and with meeting new, exciting people.



Past Classes

  (Clicking a class title will bring you to the course's section of the corresponding course catalog)

S2678: Star Formation and Evolution in Splash Spring 17 (Apr. 08, 2017)
Will the Sun become a Black Hole? Or is it going to explode and become a Planetary Nebula? We will learn how to identify the life story of a star based on its mass and composition!


S2679: All that is dark: Understanding Dark Matter and Dark Energy in Splash Spring 17 (Apr. 08, 2017)
Ever heard of Dark Energy and Dark Matter and wondered what they are? Want to study 96% of what makes our Universe as we know it? You've come to the right place! We will understand the discovery of Dark Matter and Dark Energy, why we think they exist and how scientists measure they properties nowadays.


S2249: Star Formation and Evolution in Splash Fall 16 (Nov. 05, 2016)
Will the Sun become a Black Hole? Or is it going to explode and become a Planetary Nebula? We will learn how to identify the life story of a star based on its mass and composition!


S2250: All that is dark: Understanding Dark Matter and Dark Energy in Splash Fall 16 (Nov. 05, 2016)
Ever heard of Dark Energy and Dark Matter and wondered what they are? Want to study 96% of what makes our Universe as we know it? You've come to the right place! We will understand the discovery of Dark Matter and Dark Energy, why we think they exist and how scientists measure they properties nowadays.


S2023: Measuring the Skies in Splash Spring 16 (Apr. 02, 2016)
Have you ever seen the sky at night? (If not, please do it tonight) Ever wanted to tell your friends from other cities to look at a star, but couldn't do it without pointing at it? This is the class for you! Learn how to determine coordinates of stars on the sky, measure angles between different stars and even convert coordinates between places and dates!


S2025: Deforming Spacetime? Metrics in General Relativity in Splash Spring 16 (Apr. 02, 2016)
Does hearing "General Relativity" excite you? Ever wondered why it is so different from Special Relativity? Or how masses can deform the spacetime continuum? If yes, then this is the course for you! I will be introducing the concept of metric, and using it to describe the shape of spacetime in a few special cases (flat space; black hole,...) If interested in continuing the analysis of GR and understanding, say Gravitational Waves (!!!) take the other Splash courses on LIGO and Gravitational Waves! The courses on LIGO offer completely different approaches to the topic than this course, so I'd recommend all of them.


S1777: Astro 101: Astrometry or Angles on the Sky in Splash Fall 15 (Nov. 14, 2015)
Ever wondered why the Winter sky and the Summer sky are different? Or how to determine your local time and position using only the stars, just like the ancient civilisations used to do? Then this is the perfect class for you! We will cover everything related to basic coordinate systems to spherical angles and positions to spherical trigonometry. When taught before, the class was described as "with just the right pace, so that we cover a wide range of ideas without losing track of what is going on". Come and you will not regret it!


E1694: Astrometry 101 in Sprout Fall 15 (Oct. 03 - 17, 2015)
A broad introduction to the core concepts behind Astrometry (ie measuring angles and distances in the sky)! You'll learn how to measure the position of varius celestial objects at any given moment, which will allow you to calculate the time of the day, the time of the sunrise and sunset, and much more simply by looking at the sky! No prior math requirements; just a vivid interest in Astronomy!


S1486: Measuring the Sky: An Introduction to Astrometry in Splash Spring 15 (Apr. 04, 2015)
*Basic Trigonometry (constant use of sine/cosine)* This is an introduction to the techniques used to measure distances and angles in space. We will cover basic spherical coordinates and trigonometric identities. Ultimately, we will be able to understand how astronomical objects move in the sky and how their positions relate to the motion of Earth itself.