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@@lusangombongo4503 hi!! I’m a PhD student! In the US a PhD program is a masters degree combined with a PhD thesis. So technically my first two years consist of earning my masters degree by completing coursework

@@alisonandrade8435 Thank you so much!! 🩷 these simulations are quite computationally expensive so I run them remotely through a supercomputer! Depending on the resolution of the simulation it’ll take many nodes and a lot of time. All of my post simulation run analysis is done using python, but the sph code creating the simulations uses C++! If you’re interested in my observational project stay tuned for my video after next!!! I’ll make a video very similar to this one 😁

@@ogeokoronkwo ooo cool cool that makes sense haha! looking forward to it :)

@@OutsidePerson985 hi!! One thing about me is that I’m an open book haha! You can ask me anything 😆 as a graduate student I make about 38k a year, but once you enter the workforce holding a PhD, you’re looking at salaries of about 100k - 150k. For some that may seem like a lot, but it’s not really much considering the amount of effort put into earning your degree. Not only that, but you have the additional pressure of writing grants to fund your work (plus grad students), and publishing journals to maintain your position in whichever institution you work at. So ultimately the amount of work put into doesn’t reflect in your salary. You have software engineers/developers with bachelor’s degrees earning well over 200k and working 30-40 hour work weeks 😂 so I usually advise that you choose Astro specifically because you love it regardless of pay

Thank you so much!

@@OutsidePerson985 of course!!! Glad to hear you find my videos helpful 🥹 I try to make content that I was looking for when I was an undergraduate. If you have any video suggestions or more questions let me know!!!

And you should!! The way to start is by either going to university for physics or astronomy (or both!)

@@Beatrix_Ditto thank you SO much!!! 💞

@@OutsidePerson985 hi! So happy this video found you, especially since we share similar experiences 😄 it’s okay that you haven’t taken a physics class in grade 12 because you’ll learn everything you need to know when you start university! Although it may be a bit harder to pick up at first (and that’s TOTALLY okay. Physics can be challenging at times) but you get the hang of it with practice! You’ll still need a letter of recommendation if you’re applying to university, although it doesn’t have to come from a physics teacher. My letter of recommendations came from my chemistry teacher, and my history teacher 🙈 A letter from a teacher in any science sub field should do! And do I recommend astrophysics? ABSOLUTELY!!! That’s why I’m here 😅 if you love learning, problem solving, and communicating science then definitely give it a go! The only reason I wouldn’t recommend astrophysics is if you’re looking for a job that will make you a lot of money bc it definitely doesn’t make you hundreds of thousands of dollars 😆

@@ZaWarudo69 AAAAAA THANK YOU!!!! 💜

@@Shelzastark hello from the states!!! 💜 you can absolutely do it!! Academia can be difficult to navigate at times, but with guidance from great mentors and determination you’ll be unstoppable! Happy to welcome you to the astronomy community and I can’t wait to see all the places you’ll go 🥹🩵

I'm from India too but the problem is masters and PhD take up too much time and you don't even get paid in the meantime

@@senkhosisimelane7534 wow our lives are slightly parallel from across the world! 😆 to answer your question my simulation includes both neutral and ionized hydrogen! The balance between the two depends on the temperature , density, and radiation fields of the galaxy. The gas you see in the video are most likely ionized as they’ve experienced shock from being hit with radiative feedback. I believe there are some studies in cm VLBI to compare gas proportions, but I haven’t taken the time to look at it in great detail 🙈 emission lines of ionized hydrogen are too faint in cm wavelengths so I don’t think it’s observable with VLBI. However, its strongest emission lines are in the optical and UV! As for neutral hydrogen with VLBI I think it may be feasible but I’m not too sure at what wavelength. I know that HI can be INCREDIBLY faint across many wavelengths so it may take a very high dense region to produce emission at all.

@@ogeokoronkwo Ah, cool! Thanks for the info - my work isn’t on gas components of galaxies so you’ve taught me something today! MeerKAT has been doing well in detecting 21cm HI lines (not sure out to what redshift but I think in the nearby universe) but I don’t know if has the spatial resolution on its own to enable comparison of gas proportions. My guess would be no. But with SKA-1-Mid coming up and plans to do include it in VLBI observations, that will probably transform the sensitivity of high-resolution imaging experiments in the cm wavelengths. Of course, this is too far into the future to be of immediate interest to you now, but what are scientists if not dreamers? 😄 Recently discovered your channel and I’m enjoying seeing how other students work and how the culture is in different groups and departments. Thanks for sharing your journey!

MeerKAT is mainly limited to the nearby universe. However tools like JWST and ALMA are great for galaxies out to redshift 6! My second project actually focuses on using statistical methods to calculate molecular gas mass fractions at higher redshifts, and all of my data thus far is from ALMA! Hoping to make a full video about this project around December if for those interested. Thanks for the great questions and for following along with my content!!! Keep up the great work in SA :)))

@@Beatrix_Ditto wow, thank you so much! 🥹 that really means the world! Tell your daughter I said hi 🙈👋🏾

@@nathanchisvo2613 good question! It depends on what level you’re at in your studies. Although the holy bible of astronomy textbooks is An Introduction to Modern Stellar Astrophysics by Bradley Carroll and Dale Ostlie! It covers pretty much every topic and it’s not too hard of a read

@@noone-rp4dw awww thank you!!! I think astrophysics is SO COOL and I suggest you give it a try if you’re interested! It’s one of those specialties that people pursue primarily because they love it and love learning. They love it so much they continue their research and never retire 😆 I love it because of all the people I meet and the places I get to travel to! And as for the infamous question… academia or industry? The truth is I don’t really know 🙈 I haven’t thought that far yet. All I know now is I’m enjoying my graduate program. If I could find a way to do both I would love that. I love research but it would be nice to make a lot of money haha! 😂

@ogeokoronkwo no problem!!! and its nice to know that u still arent sure about what to pursue! i have absolutely nothing figured out yet so its nice to hear that thats normal. ive been stuck on the idea of astrophysics for forever 😭😭😭 i think its the coolest thing ever and i love physics but is it as much as a risk as people say it is? also i loveee love love the picture of being an old scientist who can dedicate their entire time to their research and master the topic. i genuinely think studying it sounds so fun and exciting. I know someone who got to go to the arctic for a research project 😭😭😭 so jealous. where are some of the places youve been? and what's some of the research youve done? ik this comment is all over the place 😭😭 my bad 😭😭😭. if uve made a video addressing all this then I'll definitely go watch it!

@@noone-rp4dw if you think physics is the coolest thing ever then I definitely advise you to pursue it! It can be risky bc the job market is quite competitive for physics/astro. Also the amount of work in which the job requires doesn’t necessarily equate to the pay ($70-80k). Especially when the skills you’ve acquired over the duration of your studies could easily get you an entry level industry job at 150k or higher. BUT doing research is funnnn!!! 🤩 investigating the mechanics and phenomena of our universe induces an almost childlike fascination! So it’s really up to what you think is worth it. If you can see yourself remaining curious/ambitious to pioneering your area of science for most of your life, then go for it! Meet new people, travel, share your stories, keep learning, inspire others, and keep dreaming!! I’ve loved it thus far. I’ve had the chance to travel to Germany, Austria, Japan, many cities across the US (Houston, NYC, Seattle, Philadelphia, Charlottesville, DC, Phoenix). There are so many options ahead of you especially being in such a junior state of your career, so it’s okay to not have everything figured out (I sure as hell don’t 😂). Just take things one step at a time and go where the wind and your heart takes you!

So incredibly proud of you!! Can't wait to hear all about it :))

@@prom5345 an honors degree, how interesting 😯 is that a year or two reserved to work on an undergraduate thesis? I’m always interested to hear how school systems differ in other countries! Here in the states it’s 4 years for your bachelors, and then you can do a masters for a year and then go into a PhD, or you can just go straight into a PhD (masters and PhD combined) for 5-7 years!

@@Fae7eh thank you so much!!! The journey was incredibly difficult but I thank God everyday that I can be here today and tell my story!

I’m so happy to hear that!!! 🥹 that’s the exact reason I started this channel. Hello from the States, and best of luck with the degree!! Let me know if you need any tips/advice 😅

Great question, but sadly my answer is quite boring 🙈 In the models that I use, we don't integrate hot and cold dm. Our subgrid model follows the Lambda CDM model. So it's simple, but effective. I don't know if anyone in my collaboration group is working on incorporating HDM now or in the future. Although I think it would be interesting to analyze the two and compare!

@@ogeokoronkwo That could be my thesis when I eventually end up as a PhD student: A Comparative Analysis of Hot and Cold Dark Matter Integrations in ΛCDM Cosmological Models

@@AndreTJones that sounds like a great thesis!!! I honestly think you’d have some of the coolest line ups of projects!

@@ogeokoronkwo I want you to know that you really inspired me and I have a “working” thesis. I really hope I don’t come off as weird, lol. I have not taken any physics classes yet since I’m focusing on finishing my CS degree. With the help of ChatGPT and my own research I came up with this: 1. Introduction • Introduce the need for a comprehensive dark matter model integrating both HDM and CDM, while highlighting how PBHs could serve as a novel dark matter candidate. 2. Literature Review • Review existing ΛCDM models, focusing on their treatment of CDM and the neglect of HDM. • Include a section on PBHs, summarizing their theoretical basis and potential as dark matter candidates. 3. Theoretical Framework • Develop the mathematical models for HDM and CDM integration. • Provide equations governing PBH formation and long-term stability due to quantum effects. 4. Methodology • Detail your computational approach, including N-body and hydrodynamical simulations. • Discuss the specific software and tools you’ll use, like GADGET-2, and any custom code development. 5. Simulations and Results • Present the results of your simulations, focusing on galaxy formation and structure evolution. • Include visualizations (e.g., graphs, 3D models) to illustrate the impact of HDM and PBH on large-scale structures. 6. Discussion • Compare your findings with existing observational data, focusing on the CMB and large-scale structure. • Discuss the implications of quantum-scale PBHs for dark matter models. 7. Conclusion • Summarize the key insights from your comparative analysis of HDM and CDM in ΛCDM models. • Highlight the potential of PBHs as an alternative dark matter candidate.

Best of luck in your undergraduate journey! Planetary exploration is causing all the rave in astronomy these days with so many new instruments going on sky, so you've joined just in time!! Also everyone in the office loves Pip as well 😆

@@valeriaH223 LITERALLY

@@Fae7eh ah yes! It’s my office mates flag but we all attend demonstrations together! Long live the intifada 🍉

Happy to have you and your friends as my planet-mates ❤

@@hasema15 Pip says hi!

Omg thank you so much for your comment! 🥹 My goal when creating this channel was to help/inspire anyone who comes across it (bc I was completely lost in undergrad and had no idea what opportunities post graduation would be like, especially as a minority). I struggled a lot to find motivation because nobody tells you what being a scientist is like!!!!! But I'm happy that you're finding joy in your studies and in my videos as well! I wish you all the best of luck and keep chasing your curiosities!

@@ogeokoronkwo I’ll keep you posted on my progress. I should have stated that I'm currently in community college but will transfer any credits to WGU to get bachelor's then go back to get a physics degree. Pre-studying for the Computer Sciences bachelor's course as we speak. I might put it on TH-cam.

@@AndreTJones I’ll be your first subscriber!

You should do it. Follow your dreams. I don’t know how old you are but I’m 42 and just starting my journey. Make sure your math and study game is on point 👌🏽. You will do well.😊

Thank you!! I say go for it! If I can do it, you can too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@@Teentutor840 it can feel a little scary at first but you can do it!! BIPOC scientists deserve to be in these spaces just as much as our white peers 😅 I was (and still am) terrified to upload videos every other week, but I just have to remind myself that everything I do, I try to do for the betterment of my community! And you pursuing astrophysics as a black South African will also do the same!!! So my advice is: go for it!!!!!! 🤩

@@Teentutor840 I’m a black African astrophysics PhD student in South Africa. It can be a bit scary to sometimes be the only black person in a room of astronomers. I sometimes feel a strange need to prove that black people are just as competent. But that forces you to deal with inferiority complexes you didn’t even know you had and cultivates strong self-confidence. Today, not only am I more confident, but in a sense I’m blind to race when it comes to matters of competency; I think that can only be a good thing. If you really love astronomy/astrophysics, studying it can definitely be transformative and fulfilling. And besides, the country (South Africa) has made sufficient strides forward that there are successful, black academics in the field. There are more than a few role models now, and more black astrophysics students than ever. There’s no reason to be afraid!

@@senkhosisimelane7534 thank u so so much

@senkhosisimelane7534 I never thought a south african astrophysicist can reply I am going to do it and I try researching other career but my heart is still there When I look up I feel super motivated Even though my village and my school have never produced one I mean it won't harm to be the first one I won't give up Omg I wonder how life is like as a SA astrophysicist

@senkhosisimelane7534 so ur a PhD astrophysicist A black one Wow a south african one Thank u

@@SJ-ix6lb thank you so much for your comment it literally means the world 🥹 congrats on your HS graduation, and best of luck with undergrad!! I hope to make some undergrad related content in the future, and if there’s anything in particular you want to see/know let me know! 🫶🏾

@@OutsidePerson985 so happy to have you here!! I say if you have an interest you should totally go for it! I’ve loved being in Astro because I’ve learned so much, met amazing people, and I get to travel 😄

Isn't it?! I feel so lucky to work here! 🥹🩷

@@Art_by_T good to know people are curious about my own research! 🙈 idk why but I didn’t think y’all would care to see lecture/science videos

@@Art_by_T also I’m SO HAPPY to meet another STEM girly!!!!! 🥹💞

I am very interested, astrophysics is not really common in Africa ,especially when it comes to courses, like Bsc degrees and masters.

@@Art_by_T and both can be so frustrating!!!

@@Art_by_T Hi!! ❤️ I’m in a program for my PhD in astrophysics! Although next spring I will have my masters 🥳 Thank you for watching!! Happy to have you here 🥹

@@ogeokoronkwo thats awesome i also did my Bachelors in physics, want to pursue my masters in astrophysics and space science

@@Art_by_T and you absolutely should! I’ve really enjoyed my journey so far in Astro 😅

@@ogeokoronkwo astrophysics course are limited here in Africa, but we are getting there🤣.. Are you working on radio astronomy?

@@Art_by_T I don’t work in radio astronomy. My work is all theoretical and focused on computational astrophysics. I do know that South Africa is really big on radio astronomy! A colleague of mine is heading there for a workshop soon :)

@@hasema15 thank you so much!! 💛

@@9SunnySideUp9 awww thank you so much! 🥹❤️

@@dagi2859 thank you! 🫶🏾

@@AndreTJones thank you!!! 🫶🏾 I have watched a few of Andy Stapleton’s videos!! Some of his videos inspired a bit of my content and helped me out with the application process 😅 I don’t have a Patreon. At the moment I’m not really aiming to make money from content, but simply to just share my experiences and make internet friends! I may consider a patreon in the future mainly to get feedback/input from subscribers!

@@AndreTJones this is a great question! My honest answer is a bit silly and it’s that I really didn’t know what else to do after I graduated. It just seemed like the next thing to do haha! When I finished undergrad I wasn’t even aware of the opportunities/career options I had with my degree, so I just applied to grad school. I wish my university offered more career planning courses for us. Maybe that would’ve changed my decision? And for your next question, I don’t think it’s possible to work in industry while doing a PhD. I could be wrong on this but I’m pretty sure by contract your sole commitment is to be a research scientist for the university. Even if you could work part time I think it would be too much on your plate to take on that many responsibilities. I will say that it’s definitely something to consider financially because it is hard living off of a graduate salary (~30k per year)

@@ogeokoronkwo thanks!!!

@@AndreTJones Hi!!! Happy to have you here 🥹🤍 starting any new chapter is always daunting but just take it day by day! I wish I could tell you how to prepare for the journey but the truth is nothing really prepares you. You just have to be thrown into it. It will be overwhelming at first but I guarantee you if I can do it, you can too!!! Always ask questions, and join a study group!! Best of luck with the degree!!! You got this!!!!!!! 💫

Hi!!!! I don’t mind questions at all! That’s what this channel is for 😅 there are quite a few universities in the US that don’t offer astronomy programs. However the only route to take if you plan on applying to grad school in astronomy is being a physics major. Astronomy as a whole is laid upon the basics of physics, so you have to have that solid foundation coming into an astrophysics program. I would recommend taking computer science electives if you can because it will be super helpful in terms of research! Which leads me to my next point! You can still be involved in astrophysics research by applying to internships or REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) programs! These are fully funded internships hosted over the summer for undergraduate students. You’ll basically be a research intern for a professor working on a small project. The purpose of having these opportunities is to give you exposure into being a research scientist (especially for those who don’t have astronomy programs at their home institution). The applications are typically due in February or March, and depending on which school you want to apply to it can be quite competitive. But they do welcome all levels of expertise! So whether you’ve had experience or not really makes no difference. I recommend applying to quite a few of these every single year of your undergraduate career if you can. Spending multiple summers doing research will really make you stand out in your grad applications! You’ll learn a lot, meet new people, live in cool cities, and have new things to add to the resume! I will leave a link to a list of REU’s to apply to. They’re all updated on NSF’s website each year.

Here’s the link: www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/list_result.jsp?unitid=5045 Make sure to check which program/faculty work on areas of research which align with your interest!!! That’s definitely the most important part. Another way to get involved in research in Astro is to reach out to your physics professors to see if they have collaborators who work in Astro and are willing to connect! If you have any more questions feel free to ask! 😊

@@ogeokoronkwo Oh My God!!! You are incredible!!! I will forever be grateful to you for introducing me to these amazing opportunities I didn't even know existed. Your advice is literally life changing. Thank you sososososososo much. 💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓

@@hasema15 you’re so welcome!!! That is so sweet 😭 Your comment just made my whole year 💛 I can absolutely make some undergraduate related videos in the future if that will help too!

@@ogeokoronkwo I think a video about research/internship opportunities, how it works, what to expect, how to apply and how to make the most of it, etc, will be immensely helpful! From my experience, things like that aren't very well known unless you're in the right circles. Either way, thank you so much for what you're doing, keep up the good work, and take care ✨

This does apply for international students as well!!! Full funding guaranteed 🥳

💛💛💛

Great question! I myself am not a simulator (yet), but I analyze simulations created by my collaborators! The simulations themselves are governed by physical models and concepts, but don’t contain real celestial data. However, you can recreate real celestial data by imputing specific initial parameters!

@@ogeokoronkwo nice :)

Thanks 🥹 super nerve wracking at first but I pulled it off in the end!