By: Brianna Goodall
布兰登·贝拉斯科于5月4日获得了天体物理学学士学位, 2024, 作为bet8体育娱乐入口这个专业的第二批毕业生. 他不确定自己能否负担得起大学学费,也不确定自己是否能应付那种严格的学术环境, but with some calculated choices, he made it to the finish line.
贝拉斯科主要是在一个军人家庭长大,生活在南方各地. He spent most of his teenage years in Raeford, 2018年毕业于霍克县高中. 负担得起的学费是贝拉斯科选择俄勒冈州立大学的主要原因. 令他惊讶的是,因为他的祖父住在弗吉尼亚州,他有资格获得俄勒冈州立大学的州内学费. “I wasn't the most scholarly person in high school, 我真的不知道我想学什么专业, but I just knew I liked science and math,” said Velasco.
With his acceptance to ODU, Velasco first committed to an engineering major, and like many students, some things did not go as planned. “So, 在这里的第一年,我还在摸索很多事情,因为我真的不知道如何做一个称职的学生,” said Velasco. “I took a year break.” During his time away Velasco reevaluated his goals.
2019年,在离开ODU期间,他担任了一名公墓主任. 2020年春天,COVID-19全球大流行来袭,他的工作变得无所不包. 当大多数人因为COVID-19全球大流行而被隔离时, 贝拉斯科必须在家庭最悲伤和失去亲人的时刻支持他们, and that changed his mindset. “这份工作的高潮是帮助家庭在非常困难的时期得到他们需要的帮助, but it also had some really low lows,” said Velasco. “It left me getting home, absolutely not wanting to do anything, 我唯一能找到乐趣的事情就是上维基百科,看看这些东西, just trying to learn something to take my mind off things.贝拉斯科经历了一些让他大开眼界的时刻,但这让他感到不满足, 他意识到他“想了解宇宙的动力学和发生的一切.”
2020年秋天,Velasco带着全新的开始和全新的态度回到了ODU. He was committed to returning to ODU and made some changes. “我不会因为我的朋友去上学就去上学, I’m going to do this for me,” said Velasco.
Within his year back, 他不仅立即从工程专业转到了天体物理学专业, but he was diagnosed with a learning difference. “When I came back, 我仍然有很多事情要做,我被诊断出患有多动症,这解释了我在学校的很多问题,” said Velasco. “But since then, 我一直在努力找出一些小步骤,让我的学习每年都变得简单一点.”
他对太空和天体的好奇心使他对学习的热爱不断扩大. “这是在ODU引入天体物理学的时候, 所以我从来没有听说过天体物理学学位是学士学位,” said Velasco. “As soon as I saw the opportunity I was like, 只要我还能在这一行干下去,我就得接受, I'll be happy.”
Velasco thoroughly enjoyed learning about the universe, 通过转到天体物理学,他与ODU物理系的教职员工建立了更紧密的联系,并参与了研究. 贝拉斯科与物理学家和杰斐逊实验室研究员泰德·罗杰斯博士合作.D. 计算科学主要集中在数据分析、数学和编程上. 在他的毕业论文项目中,他与ODU副教授Balša terziki博士合作.D. and will continue to do research over the summer with Terzić.
While working with these renowned professors, 贝拉斯科在课堂之外获得了更多的物理机会. Perry Nerem,首席部门顾问,将Velasco介绍给物理学生协会(SPS)。. 也, Justin Mason, ODU的Michael and Kimthanh Lê天文馆主任一直是他教育的支柱, guiding him immensely, and offering opportunities to further his knowledge. Professor Nerem spoke highly of Velasco saying, “布兰登全身心地投入到他对天体物理学的热爱中,并为理解宇宙而不懈努力.”
通过SPS, Velasco找到了一个与他有着相同兴趣和经历的社区. “SPS给了我很多展示研究或奖学金的机会,” said Velasco. “Some of my closest friends are strictly through SPS, 他们现在在美国各地的不同大学学习, and we still talk day to day, so I made great friends.Velasco高度评价了参加SPS的学生,并指出那里的学生互相帮助, 为项目设立基金,建立基于成果的奖励环境. “有一个完全由学生主导的组织,学生们在项目中工作,这给了每个人都有同志情谊的独特体验, 还有如何解决问题,而不是直接去找你的导师或老师,” said Velasco.
While acknowledging his initial uncertainty about being at ODU, Velasco is grateful for his experiences. “随着我在这里的成长,我意识到ODU绝对关心学生的成长.他解释说:“一个糟糕的成绩或一次糟糕的考试不能定义我或你。, so get back up and move on, and that is the best thing ODU has taught me here.Velasco充分利用了ODU的大量不同资源,如写作中心和科学辅导中心的数学和化学辅导中心.
贝拉斯科计划在2024年秋天回到俄勒冈州立大学读研究生,获得物理学硕士学位.