Physics Department Alumni

Elizabeth Parisi (’22)

Exciting news

I recently started my Masters Program in Education Technology at Ramapo College of New Jersey.

Where are They Now?

I am a second year physics teacher in a North Jersey high school. I currently teach college prep physics courses to 11th grade students. Being a physics teacher is a great way to use all the skills I learned at TCNJ and in the physics department. My job uses skills including problem-solving, adaptability, decision making, and communication on an everyday basis. I am in constant communication with other teachers (of all subjects) to learn new strategies for my classroom. Most importantly, it allows me to teach a subject that sparks my passion and pass that onto the next generation of learners. While academic and extracurricular responsibilities make for a hectic schedule, it is truly a rewarding journey as a physics teacher.

Path to Career

After graduating in May 2022, I started working as a physics teacher in September of 2022. After I finished my first year of teaching, I started my Masters Program in Educational Technology at Ramapo College of New Jersey. Although I was nervous to be a part-time student and work full time, it was a great decision to continue my education and work to incorporate what I am learning into my current classroom. I am happy that I worked one full year as a teacher to establish my classroom and strategies before becoming a graduate student.

TCNJ Physics Memories

My time at TCNJ and TCNJ Physics Department is something that I value very highly. There is no denying that physics is a challenging major, but the support system far outweighs the moments of stress and doubt. The TCNJ physics department is filled with unbelievably funny, intelligent, and friendly individuals. I am so happy that I was able to be part of the an amazing group of people.

Advice to Current Majors

I know it might sound cheesy, but you are capable of ANYTHING you set your mind too. DO NOT let anyone tell you differently.

Rich Piccola (’93)

Exciting news

Celebrated 23 years at MITRE this July. And both my children are in college now (alas, no physics majors).

Where are They Now?

I live in Toms River, NJ and I work at The MITRE Corporation’s Shrewsbury, NJ office. MITRE operates several Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) for the US Government, and that means the opportunity to support many different civilian agencies. During my time at MITRE, I’ve supported projects for the Army, Navy, Department of Veterans Affairs and most recently Indian Health Services. I like the variety and the impact of helping those who are underserved.

Path to Career

First graduate school for a Master’s degree in Physics at the University of Delaware, then I took a job doing Electrical Engineering work for a small defense contractor in NJ, then I came to MITRE in 2000 and picked up a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering along the way.

TCNJ Physics Memories

Dr. Pfeiffer’s RJP-## homework problems, working in groups on homework and studying together. Dr. Gleeson’s and Dr. Ochoa’s programming assignments and Dr. Ochoa’s ruthless software testing (hey – it made me a better coder).

Advice to Current Majors

If you aren’t already, find a study group and work hard to contribute. Taking advantage of different perspectives, ways to understand or remember, are critically important if you choose to go to grad school. Don’t be an island.

Katia Tymofyeyeva (’09)

Where are They Now?

I live in Pasadena, California and work at NASA JPL. I help design satellite missions that observe the Earth (or other planets) with the goal of studying processes related to tectonics – on Earth, these mostly involve earthquakes and volcanoes. Our NISAR mission is scheduled to launch sometime in April 2024, and a lot of my work is currently focused on preparing for the launch, which is super exciting! I am also part of a proposal for a mission to Enceladus called “Nightingale”, and part of a study that is exploring possible future missions focused on measuring the surface deformation and change of the Earth. My role is somewhere between an engineer and a scientist, so my day-to-day work involves a lot of computations (most of these are done on a very nice computer) to evaluate satellite design and performance (engineering stuff), satellite data interpretation and computational modeling of geophysical processes (exciting Earth science stuff), as well as some project management and planning (not exciting but necessary miscellaneous stuff). Life in California is great, especially in the winter when everyone else is jealous of our fantastic weather. There are lots of beautiful things to do outdoors (hiking, skiing, the beach), but Pasadena is also a really nice walkable town that is fun to explore.

Path to Career

I did not go into Earth science right away. At TCNJ, I was mostly interested in experimental physics (Dr. Ochoa’s inspiration was strong!). After graduating, I spent about a year and a half working at an experimental atomic physics lab in Princeton University. However, I couldn’t forget how much I really liked the two geology classes I took while I was at TCNJ. After leaving Princeton, I applied for graduate school in geophysics at the University of California in San Diego. Graduate school was the best time of my life: the classes, the research, the beach, the frequent field work trips, the conferences, my colleagues – everything was perfect. During my last year in graduate school, I realized that I wanted to go to JPL more than anywhere else. It was really good timing – they needed people with my exact skills to work on NISAR. As a result, I was a postdoc at JPL for barely a year and was hired into a permanent position. JPL is an amazing place: working here is king of like being a kid in a candy store. Everyone is working on something exciting, and everyone can’t wait to tell you all about their awesome work. We have a large sandy playground where they test each new Mars rover. Anyway, come visit us and I’ll be happy to show you around!

TCNJ Physics Memories

Lab work with Dr. Ochoa! The physics club picnics! The star parties!

Advice to Current Majors

Don’t be afraid of anything and never give up.

AJ Richards (’07)

Exciting news

I have two kiddos, and the older one (4) loves coming to TCNJ where Dada works.

Where are They Now?

I’m a professor in the Physics department! My favorite part of the job is of course interacting with students. I truly love being in the classroom and helping other people learn about the subject that so fascinates me. Also, I supervise most of the student teachers, and it’s so neat to watch them grow from novice teachers into full-fledged instructors ready for their own classroom. Another major aspect of the job is conducting research, mostly with students. And of course there are always many administrative tasks to do — answering emails, advising students, participating in meetings, serving on faculty committees… There is a TON of behind-the-scenes stuff that professors are required to do, and I don’t think students fully recognize that when they say they want to pursue this career path.

Path to Career

After graduating from TCNJ, I went directly to Rutgers University for graduate school. I entered planning to do a Ph. D. in High-Energy Experimental (HEX) physics, which is particle physics like what happens at CERN and FermiLab. I got my Masters degree in that area, and then switched my focus to Physics Education Research (PER) for my PhD. My goal was always to be a professor, but when I applied for college teaching positions, I struck out completely. I expanded my search to include industry jobs, and worked for a little over a year as a content strategist at a healthcare marketing agency. Once I heard a position at TCNJ was opening up, I quickly applied and was able to join the faculty here in 2014.

TCNJ Physics Memories

My time on the Club Volleyball team will always be a memory I treasure, as that led to my current passion for volleyball. I also look back fondly on working late hours with my classmates in the lounge on problem sets. There was a strong sense of “no one else gets us” among the physics majors, because we knew we had basically the hardest major and no one else on campus could do what we were doing. That built a lot of camaraderie.

Advice to Current Majors

Do not underestimate the marketability of a physics degree. My first position out of grad school was in healthcare marketing. I knew nothing about healthcare OR marketing, or even industry, for that matter! But the job listing specifically asked for a scientist or mathematician, because it required a lot of strategic thinking, working with numbers and computers and data, breaking complex systems down into understandable pieces… all things that we are trained to do. When writing your resume, think hard about how you can “spin” the incredible skills and experience you’ve picked up while doing this very hard thing of getting a physics degree, and explain ways that that applies to the position you want.

Carmen Carusone (’20)

Exciting news

I’m up for tenure at Madison High School this year and have no plans on leaving the school anytime soon. I love my job and teaching has been just as rewarding as I thought it would be. I also purchased a condo last year and am enjoying the perks of being a homeowner.

Where are They Now?

I’m in my 4th year of teaching at Madison High School. I’m the only AP Physics teacher at the school, teaching AP Physics 2 and AP Physics C, so I have almost complete freedom to shape the courses into exactly what I want them to be. I also run the Gaming Club, Chess Club, and the Physics & Engineering Team at the school. I truly love teaching and I’m thankful every day I stumbled into what is essentially the most ideal teaching job I could ask for.

Path to Career

I was connected with Madison High School at a TCNJ education interview day, and was hired after a few virtual interviews during the pandemic. I graduated from TCNJ in the spring of 2020 and began working at MHS in the fall of the 2020-21 school year.

TCNJ Physics Memories

Teaching physics in Bangkok, Thailand for the first 3 months of my student teaching at an American international school thanks to the global student teaching program. It was an amazing opportunity to work with some seriously awesome students and colleagues in a totally new environment and travel around Southeast Asia on the weekends.

Advice to Current Majors

Make the most of the time you are at TCNJ. Attend department events, get to know your peers and professors, and engage in research. For prospective teachers, learn as much as possible from your cooperating teacher and assemble as many teaching resources as you can during your student teaching. You will be amazed at what you are capable of doing if you focus on doing the best you can during your first year and giving yourself time to improve your methods year after year.

Ally Glantzberg (’20)

Exciting news

I recently published a paper on Mercury and got to talk about it on YouTube!

Where are They Now?

I am a scientist in the Space Exploration Sector at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). I do a lot of data analysis in support of the civil space mission area, working on planetary science projects that use data from missions such as DART, MESSENGER, and New Horizons. I also support other mission areas, such as national security space, as an analyst, physics modeler, and software developer. At APL, I love the endless opportunities to learn and grow, contributing to efforts with tangible impacts, and getting to do research. APL also provides me with lots of flexibility, so I frequently contribute to critical challenges from the comfort of my home.

Path to Career

When graduation was approaching, I was torn between graduate school and industry. I didn’t feel ready to suddenly no longer be in school, but I didn’t have a clear idea of what to pursue a PhD in. I was rejected from the graduate schools I applied to, but landed an internship at NASA GSFC. The internship at NASA is what led to a full time position at APL. Lucky for me, APL has fantastic benefits for furthering your education which is something that I capitalized on, and am now over halfway through a masters degree in applied physics at JHU. Though it’s a lot of work, I get to do both – work in industry (though, as a university affiliated research center, APL is very academic) and go to graduate school, so I’m very happy with how things worked out!

TCNJ Physics Memories

I miss the lounge! I really think that the community of the physics department is what got me to where I am. I was surrounded by people who wanted to see everyone succeed, and there were many occasions where I personally gained from our group study sessions. The community that I’ve found at APL reminds me a lot of the one I had at TCNJ, and I’m very grateful for it!

Advice to Current Majors

“General advice: Be open to change and be open to learning. Ask questions and get comfortable operating outside of your comfort zone.

Technical advice: (1) get comfortable coding. Pick a language and get good at it. Other languages can be easier to learn once you already know one. Python, MATLAB, Java, and C++ are the ones I see most often in academic environments. Use resources such as leetcode to practice! (2) get comfortable communicating. Develop your public speaking, writing, and interpersonal skills – I cannot stress the importance of this enough! Good communication skills are arguably as important as your technical skill. ”

Cody Combs (’16)

Exciting news

Received PhD in Physics from UC Irvine in 2022!

Where are They Now?

I am currently enjoying the weather in San Diego while working at illumina. I work on developing high speed image processing software for worlds leading DNA sequencing company. When not at work, I enjoy playing intramural sports or checking out local breweries.

Path to Career

After graduating from TCNJ in 2016, I went straight into graduate school for my PhD in physics. Upon finishing graduate school in 2022, I found my current job and have been at illumina for over a year now.

TCNJ Physics Memories

I remember the whole electronics class staying up late in the lab tinkering with our robots for the big race the next day. A bunch of professors and fellow students joined to watch the race and it was a great end to the semester. Even though I still believe we deserved first place…

Advice to Current Majors

Take advantage of as many opportunities as you can. Trying different research areas, jobs, clubs and classes will help you find what you love. Also, always have fun. You have the privilege to study physics for an only few years while surrounded by awesome people, don’t waste it!

Brandon Bentzley (’08)

Exciting news

I have 2 children, a dog, and a company!

Where are They Now?

I work at a company I founded called Magnus Medical. We map human neural networks and provide treatments for things like depression. I oversee all aspects of the company, and I take a particular interest in running research projects. I also do a little bit of work as a psychiatrist each week.

Path to Career

TCNJ Physics -> TCNJ classes post-bac -> work at PPPL -> MD/PhD program (neuroscience) -> Post-doc/Residency (neuroscience/psychiatry) -> Faculty of Psych at Stanford -> Started my company Magnus

TCNJ Physics Memories

Dr. Ochoa inspiring me to do summer research that lead to my current career! Also meeting my wife Jess at TCNJ. We now have 2 children together!

Advice to Current Majors

The biggest factor in determining your day-to-day happiness is your workplace environment

Kevin Hurler (’18)

Exciting news

I got a nose ring and some tattoos.

Where are They Now?

Currently, my career is focused on science communication. I worked in publishing at Wiley before becoming a tech and science news writer at Gizmodo in New York City. Now, I’m pivoting back into publishing to serve as a Communications Officer as Springer Nature. There, I will be working with journalists and scientists to promote work published in the Springer Nature portfolio of journals through press releases and social media posts.

Path to Career

I enrolled in graduate school at the University of South Carolina originally in pursuit of a PhD. I ultimately decided a Doctorate wasn’t for me and opted to enter the workforce after receiving a Master’s degree. I also was really interested in science communication and education, so while I’m not in the lab anymore, I’m working with science in a different way.

TCNJ Physics Memories

Being in the physics department was always such a fun time. So many students were involved with so many different activities and organizations, but we’d always come back together to do homework until 2am.

Advice to Current Majors

Have a clear plan of your career goals and aspirations and have frequent conversations with your advisor/mentor about how to reach those goals.

Sammi Schuh (Staskiewicz)

Exciting news

I recently married fellow TCNJ physics alum, Terry Schuh! Believe it or not, it IS possible to find love in the physics department 🙂

Where are They Now?

After a two-year position at the National Science Foundation, I recently started a new job as a Project Manager for the Cooperative Institute for Modeling the Earth System, a collaboration between Princeton University and NOAA’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory. In this role, I oversee all CIMES-funded projects, write research project reports, help with the logistics of hiring and reappointing researchers, and produce newsletters showcasing CIMES research. I enjoy being in a position where I can be immersed in the research environment but not have to do research myself. I work a typical 9-5 schedule with one day of remote work, and I get to travel at least twice a year for my position. At the beginning of October, I attended a meeting in Newport, OR for all NOAA Cooperative Institutes (there are 16). Overall, I am enjoying my new job.

Path to Career

After finishing my BS in Physics at TCNJ, I went to graduate school at Penn State for Meteorology and Atmospheric Science. I originally intended on pursing a PhD, but after some bumps in the road (COVID, not enjoying my research, struggling with work-life balance, etc.) I decided to leave the program with an MS. Immediately following my departure from grad school, I accepted a two-year, term-limited position at the National Science Foundation as a Science Education Analyst. Most of my job entailed data analysis, STEM education outreach, and some science writing. As my term at NSF was coming to an end, I applied for and was hired into my current position at Princeton. Going to grad school has given me a great appreciation for and understanding of the research landscape which has been valuable in my former and current positions.

TCNJ Physics Memories

The physics department lounge truly felt like a second home during college. It is where I spent most of my time. It was a place to hang out with classmates/friends, focus on work surrounded by similarly motivated students, and foster a sense of community. TCNJ Physics is unique because of how close-knit the department is. I wouldn’t have traded my time in TCNJ physics for anything, and my favorite memory is just generally being part of the department and building relationships with my classmates and professors.

Advice to Current Majors

Enjoy every minute, and get to know your classmates and professors. Collaboration will help you succeed and appreciate the subject. Also, when it comes time for job hunting/applying to grad school, remember that you learned SO many skills as a physics major and your opportunities are endless!

Sofia Stepanoff (’22)

Exciting news

I recently got Engaged! And my research group just had first light on our telescope Trinity

Where are They Now?

Currently I am a second year graduate student at Georgia Tech studying physics. My research is with the Trinity telescope. The telescope detected neutrino air showers in the atmosphere. I am responsible for ensuring the observation occur amongst the team and getting the telescope automated so we don’t have to stay up all night. In life I have a lovely apartment that my fiancé will be moving into with me in December. I attend Wednesday drinks with my cohort and cook a lot of food and go to the farmers markets in my area.

Path to Career

After I finished TCNJ I had a summer internship in DC for 2.5 months and then went directly to graduate school at Georgia tech. I will stay here and finish and then hopefully move to the DC area

TCNJ Physics Memories

The lounge I was there all the time! I also really enjoyed clouds and climate course and working in the telescope.

Advice to Current Majors

Go to office hours!! Don’t apply for grad school on to astro programs. And find other internship opportunities other then REUs

Nic Freschi (’16)

Exciting news

Earlier this year I released my first horror film, Kentucky Fried Manmeat and I am currently early in the process of making my second film. I am also opening a fish market in Montclair, New Jersey alongside my brother Marco, called Fratelli Freschi Seafood Co.

Where are They Now?

I am currently living in New York City. I practice Brazilian Jujitsu and work from home at a consulting firm that specializes in environmental, utility and energy concerns. Specifically, I build models for analyzing risk and forecasting prices in electricity markets across the US.

Path to Career

I had a winding path after TCNJ. I worked as a counselor at an environmental stewardship summer camp in central Jersey, as a math tutor in Princeton, as an analyst at a battery storage startup, and as an English teacher and part-time journalist in Taiwan before finding my current job.

TCNJ Physics Memories

I truly enjoyed every minute of my four years at TCNJ. Winning the $30k in the Mayo Business Plan Competition, alongside my fellow physics majors Cody Combs and Christian Balevski, was the icing on the cake.

Advice to Current Majors

Know your worth going into the job market. Very few other graduating students will be as scientifically and mathematically trained as you will be. A lot of employers don’t know what to do with physics majors, but if you graduated from TCNJ physics, there is no industry software, coding language, or subject matter that you can’t learn. Be confident. The rest of life is nowhere near as difficult as Dr. Ochoa’s EMAG class.

Kyle Barrie (’18)

Exciting news

I’m getting married next year.

Where are They Now?

I am a PhD candidate in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics graduate group at The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn). As a grad student I mainly conduct research, write papers/grants, and present my work. My research involves expressing and purifying different proteins-of-interest in order to characterize them biochemically or structurally. Overall my life is pretty normal in grad school, good work/life balance.

Path to Career

After graduating from TCNJ I worked for 2 years as an Analytical Chemist for a pharmaceutical company in NJ. Upon gaining some financial security and professional experience, I decided to pursue my PhD. While I was initially upset that I did not pursue my PhD right away (I didn’t get accepted to the universities that I really wanted to go to), this ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve made. I would highly recommend taking a couple years before grad school to work and see how you like it.

TCNJ Physics Memories

Dr. Ochoa’s sense of humor.

Advice to Current Majors

Don’t be afraid if your plans end up changing, you can always pivot. Nothing is final.

Jason Malatesta (’02)

Where are They Now?

Jason Malatesta works for Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal. He heads up Partnerships & Licensing for the Professional Information Business. This involves the inbound licensing of content and data for Dow Jones products and services, as well as the outbound licensing of content to power partners’ commercial products and applications. When he’s not working Jason enjoys traveling and SCUBA. Jason lives near Princeton, NJ with his wife and children.

Path to Career

Jason has been with Dow Jones for 25 years; starting as an intern in Customer Service and advancing to hold leadership roles in the former Dow Jones Professional Services team, Product, and other teams. Jason’s statistics and programming skills he learned during this Physics degree played a big role in obtaining his first job and growing his career. He earned his BS in Physics from TCNJ – and then while working, earned an MBA from Rutgers with a focus on management & marketing.

TCNJ Physics Memories

Jason fondly remembers *ahem* struggling and striving to succeed through many classes, and the support of all his Physics professors who wanted to see him succeed. It was this support throughout his time at TCNJ that allowed him to be successful.

Advice to Current Majors

Say yes to all opportunities to stretch your skills and test your mettle.

Shannon Springstead, (’20)

Exciting news

My company has completed $2.5M worth of work this year!

Where are They Now?

I have been working for my father’s general contracting company for a little over 3 years now, and this year we have focused on systematizing both our office and field operations. Our primary focus is on residential additions and remodels in Bergen County. Some of the things I do every day are: Work closely with architects in our area to talk through blueprints/potential construction projects, meet with Homeowners to discuss logistics and coordinate their selections, and work with our field staff + subcontractors to ensure we have a quality product! My typical days starts at 8AM and I finish up work around 4:30 every day.

Path to Career

I started work in July after graduating in May of 2020. I never expected to work for my father’s company, but have since become very interested in the construction, design, and architectural fields.

TCNJ Physics Memories

I spent most of my time in the physics lounge, which I loved because I was surrounded with so many very intelligent and witty classmates. There was never a dull moment.

Advice to Current Majors

Even when you think you can’t do it, you can!

Emily Kelly (‘22)

Where are They Now?

I am a Manufacturing Engineer at Thorlabs in the Advanced Photonics Business Unit. I work on the optics shop floor where my main responsibilities are documenting/improving processes, designing tooling to improve our products at the fabrication level, and helping to solve problems for the technicians. It is honestly the perfect combination of creativity, problem solving, and bridging communication gaps for me to thrive. It is also a great mix of decision making, leadership, and accountability that are helping me grow in my career as well as my personal life.

Path to Career

After graduating I returned to my part time job at a liquor store and worked there for about 10 months after graduation. It was a difficult transition of not knowing what direction I wanted to go or how I was going to get there. Despite that, this time was a great learning experience. I took the time to learn about myself — what my interests are, what I am good at, what kind of job can I get to utilize these skills and interests, what kind of employee I am, what aspects of my job do I enjoy and what aspects do I never want to do again. It was the first time I realized how hard I have worked, how there are countless opportunities of what I can do with my life, and that I have my entire life ahead of me to do them. This was where I gained confidence and ambition, which I may not have gotten if I started my career immediately after graduating. During my interview my (now) supervisor told me seeing that job on my resume really helped me stand out. He said it was great to see that I had real job experience and that I was using this time after graduation proactively.

TCNJ Physics Memories

Without a doubt, my time with the TCNJ Physics Department is something that I value very highly and would not trade for the world. There were many times when I questioned if physics was right for me or if my time would be better spent doing something else (something easier). The truth is college is hard no matter what you study. I would have faced the same hurdles and internal struggles in any major. Having the support of my friends, classmates, professors, and other faculty was really what kept me going. Having to take classes on Zoom was a struggle for everyone, yet I always had so much fun and ended up laughing during every physics lecture. I am lucky to have had a group of people that I could truly be myself around. This department is filled with the funniest, smartest, and weirdest people at TCNJ, and I could not have gotten through those 4 tough years without them.

Advice to Current Majors

In order to achieve something, you first need to believe that you can. You can do ANYTHING YOU WANT so don’t let yourself be the biggest thing standing in your way. It takes HARD WORK to get to HARD THINGS, otherwise everyone would be doing it!