Graduate Women In Science

Charlotte Moser

Mathematics Department

“I work at the intersection of mathematics and environmental science, using mathematical modeling, uncertainty quantification, data assimilation, and machine learning to better understand complex Earth systems and improve climate prediction. I am passionate about lowering interdisciplinary barriers to make more comprehensive solutions to real-world complex problems. My current research focuses on identifying persistent biases in Earth system models, which are critical tools used to study climate and environmental change.

Rather than only comparing model output to observations, our work develops new methods that actively probe model dynamics by supplying targeted observational information and analyzing how the response propagates through the system. This approach helps reveal missing or misrepresented physical processes and provides a new framework for evaluating the reliability of Earth system models. Ultimately, this research aims to improve climate prediction, reduce forecast uncertainty, and better identify reliable features of environmental projections.”

Emily Palmer

Geoscience & Chemistry Department

“A well-developed understanding of the timing and trajectory of atmospheric oxygen levels is crucial for deciphering how the Earth and life have co-evolved through time. Radiogenic isotope compositions preserved in marine sediments can be used as a tracer of the presence of oxidative weathering at the Earth surface. High levels of uranium (U) are recorded in shales of the ~2.1-billion-year-old Zaonega Formation, Russia, after the end of the Great Oxygenation Event. I am applying U-Th-Pb isotope systematics to assess if these enrichments imply high atmospheric oxygen levels, governing our interpretation of the environments on Earth at this time.”

Shu Sun

Planning and Landscape
Architecture Department

“My research focuses on outdoor thermal comfort and healthy aging under climate change. I am developing and validating COMFA-Elderly, an age-specific outdoor thermal comfort model designed for older adults. Using field measurements, wearable sensors, and seasonal surveys collected from older adults in Wisconsin, my work examines how aging-related physiological and behavioral differences influence thermal comfort in outdoor environments. The goal of this research is to provide evidence-based design guidelines for landscape architects, planners, and public health practitioners to create safer, healthier, and more age-friendly outdoor spaces”

Yiwen Bai

Mathematics Department

“Recent work proved Kaneko’s conjectures regarding the bounds of the real part of the modular j-function’s val function on real quadratic irrationalities. This project investigates generalizations of these bounds in two novel directions. First, we hypothesize that a class of polynomials P(x) ∈ R[x] preserve the minimal value of Re(valP(j)(w)) at the golden ratio ϕ. Second, we extend this framework to weakly holomorphic modular forms of weight −2n, exploring whether a generalized val function can be bounded by adapting existing analytical proof techniques. Preliminary data using f = E²₄/∆ strongly supports this higher-weight conjecture.”