Luke Xia (He/Him/His)

Co-President

Hi! My name is Luke, and I am a junior majoring in physics and mathematics. I enjoy theoretical and computational research in plasma physics, astrophysics, and quantum algorithms.

Outside of academia, I play Midwest emo guitar, and classical piano, I cook and bake crazy dishes, I go on birdwatching hikes with my little brothers, and I like to explore SoCal on my bike. I’m a big Supercell fan, being legend rank in Brawl Stars (I main Barley) and having 5.4k trophies in Clash of Clans and 8k trophies in Clash Royale.

Marco Cheng (He/Him/His)

Co-President

Hi, my name is Marco, and I am a junior majoring in applied physics concentrating in engineering. My current research interests are in observational astrophysics and lightweight structural analysis, although I do enjoy other topics like history and cryptography. 

In my free time, you can find me reading Sci-Fi or High Fantasy, playing Chess, or catching up on my Pokemon games. Feel free to ask or chat with me about any of these topics – or anything else!

Sophia Garcia

Secretary

Hello, my name is Sophia Garcia and I am a sophomore in Applied Physics with a concentration in Electrical Engineering. I can’t wait to be the SPS secretary this school year!! I love electronics and spend my time 3D printing, playing with circuits, and creating fun trinkets! I’ve always had fun creating things and that extends not only to electronics but also fashion. I self taught myself to sew, knit, embroider, and crochet! I also love historical fashion!! I’m always open to chat for a bit and love meeting new friends!!

Oliver Peterson

Treasurer

Hi! I’m Oliver, I’m a sophomore majoring in Applied Physics concentrating in engineering (specifically more electrical), and I’ll be the treasurer for SPS this year! When I’ve got free time, I like making projects with Arduinos, baking/cooking, going to the gym, watching YouTube videos on weird science topics, possibly even playing a video game, or hanging out with friends. Feel free to reach out if you’ve got any questions or want to talk!

Rasmieh Abdelkarim

Event Coordinator

Hello! My name is Rasmieh, I am a sophomore double majoring in physics and earth system science, and I am excited to be your event coordinator this year! I am deeply interested in the intersections between astrophysics, ecology, and earth science and exploring the possibility of life on exoplanets by studying life that survives in extreme conditions here on Earth. In my free time, I like traveling to National Parks and improving my photography (especially wildlife/landscape photography and astrophotography), hanging out with my cat Mittens, baking, and reading books by Tolkien or Palestinian history! Feel free to chat with me about any of these things 🙂

Amber Wong

Event Coordinator

Hi everyone, my name is Amber! I am a fourth year Physics with a concentration in Astrophysics major and I do research with Professor Paul Robertson on characterizing exoplanets. I am also a Peer Academic Advisor for the School of Physical Sciences.

Outside of academics, I like to cook and try new dishes, make sourdough bread, go to the gym, and hang out with my two cats, Chibi and Nugget. Fun fact about my cats: Chibi doesn’t have a tail and Nugget was born under my couch on my birthday! I’m a bit of a yapper and I love to talk so definitely come chat with me!!

Maia Parker

Social Media Chair

Hi everyone! My name is Maia, and I am a junior majoring in Astrophysics with a minor in Digital Arts. Space has captured my imagination since I was very young, and it has been my life’s dream to pursue a career centered around all things celestial. I am particularly interested in extrasolar research, including exoplanets, black holes, and galaxies, among other subjects.

Outside of school, I love to spend my time drawing, practicing music, reading, and playing video games. I’m a huge fan of anime, cartoons, and movies, especially exploring the lore behind my favorite franchises. I’m always down for a party and can’t wait to see where my next adventure takes me!

Vincent Caudillo

Webmaster

Hello! My name is Vincent, and I am a junior majoring in physics and math. I do computational research in theoretical astrophysics and plasma physics. In my free time, I enjoy hanging out with friends, going to the gym, playing brawl stars, wasting my life on YouTube, and watching combat sports. I’m very excited to manage the SPS website this year and help make SPS a fun, welcoming, and valuable experience for all involved. Don’t be scared to talk to me or ask me about anything, I like yapping.

James Buda

Outreach Chair

Hi! My name is James and I’ll be one of the Outreach Officers this year. A couple of facts about me are that I love physics, and I’m doing research in cosmology / high energy theory right now. I like to program / do more physics (LOL) in my free time, and also listen to long youtube documentaries. My favorite Emoji is the nerd emoji for obvious reasons, and I have a tuxedo cat named Echo.

Bryan Nnadi

Outreach Chair

Hello! I’m Bryan, a junior majoring in Math and Physics. I’m deeply involved in research focused on astrophysics and plasma physics, areas that I’m really passionate about. I’m also the president of the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP), where I work to foster diversity and inclusion in the field. Beyond my academic pursuits, I love diving into discussions about politics and philosophy, and I find running to be a great way to stay active and clear my mind. I enjoy going to the gym and playing games with my friends outside of school. Let’s chat!