Shane Keiser awarded 2024 SSAI Academic Scholarship

About the Recipient

Zone and Chapter: University of Massachusetts-Amherst

I am a rising Senior at UMass Amherst, majoring in Physics and Applied Mathematics. After studying in Sweden for a semester in sophomore year, I wanted to learn from and share the amazing culture that the physics club at my host university had. I became president of my school’s SPS chapter last year, helped reestablish regular activities within the club, and operated with an emphasis on community. For nearly a year, I have been studying models in statistical mechanics, and hope to write my Bachelor’s thesis on this topic. Looking forward to my final year of undergraduate studies, I will take a slightly more relaxed role in the club as events coordinator while I apply to graduate schools and finish my thesis. I want to eventually have a career that contributes to the cause of sustainable energy. My interests outside of Physics include soccer, reading, learning languages, and playing the piano.