Emma Yao

My research interest lies in the field of cosmology, focusing on the study of the universe's structure, origin, and evolution. Under the guidance of Dr. Mathew Madhavacheril in the Department of Physics & Astronomy, my research centers on exploding stars, known as supernovae, to better understand the universe's expansion. I am using data from Type Ia supernovae as cosmic markers to measure how fast the universe is growing and to learn more about mysterious forces like dark energy that drive this expansion. With the support of CURF and University Scholars, I am currently working on a project that examines the relationship between the brightness of these supernovae and their distance from Earth, comparing real data from the PantheonPlus supernova dataset with predictions from computer simulations. Outside of my research, I am a member of the Penn Aerospace Club’s Design Build Fly Team and dance in student-run productions with the Penn Ballet Company.

  • Research Assistant to Dr. Mathew Madhavacheril, Department of Physics & Astronomy
  • Intern at TRIUMF, Canada's national particle accelerator center
Academic Major(s): Physics
Emma Yao