Splash Biography



JAY MARIE BAPTISTA, Aspiring Astrophysicist




Major: Astrophysics

College/Employer: Yale

Year of Graduation: 2023

Picture of Jay Marie Baptista

Brief Biographical Sketch:

I am a first-generation Yale sophomore from Lahaina, Hawaii who is interested in doing research about space! My research interests are centered around galactic formation and archaeoastronomy.



Past Classes

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

S4343: Introduction to Stellar Astronomy in Splash Spring 2021 (Apr. 24, 2021)
There are millions of stars in our galaxy and beyond. The job of astronomers is to understand the nature of these brilliant spheres of hydrogen. We explore the birth of stars, their evolution, and spectacular deaths. How do we classify stars? What is an HR diagram? What are the different types of supernovae? How are stars used in modern astronomical research? We explore these topics and more in this introductory crash course into stellar astronomy.


S4217: Introduction to Modern Cosmology in Splash Spring 2020 (Apr. 11, 2020)
This course is a survey into the latest astronomical fields and serves as a crash-course into the most cutting edge research about celestial objects. From understanding contemporary advancements in telescopes and observational technologies, the mysterious nature of dark matter and how astronomers probe its characteristics, supermassive black holes and their gravitational effects on the universe, and to the expedition to search for exoplanets beyond our solar system, this course provides a look into the wonderful world of modern astronomy.


X3971: Yale Rotaract: The Rohingya Refugee Crisis in Splash Fall 2019 (Nov. 16, 2019)
In this course, members of the Yale Rotaract club will give a detailed overview of the current Rohingya refugee crisis: the mass migration of the Rohingya ethnic group from Myanmar, escaping a government-organized genocide. Moreover, members will specifically describe the efforts that the Yale Rotaract club is currently undertaking in fundraising and providing medical relief for these refugees, its collaborations with other international clubs/NGOs, and how every one in the class can get involved and make a positive contribution.