Astronomy

This summer was fantastic. I had the incredible opportunity to live in New York City while interning at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), researching planet formation. The best part was meeting all of the cool and interesting people in New York, especially at International House, where I stayed for the summer. It was a truly global community, filled with people from every continent and all walks of life: students, professionals, artists, scientists, musicians, people of every belief (and none); people from South Sudan, Indonesia, China, South Africa, India, Europe, and across the Americas. Our late-night conversations, shared meals, and cultural exchanges were the most inspiring part of my time in New York. I also got to meet with Neil deGrasse Tyson - his office is near the lunch table in the Astronomy area. ...

My name is Raymond Kelly. I am a student of the stars, a disciple of Christ, and an explorer of the cosmos. I am currently studying physics and astronomy at Brigham Young University. I research worlds without end: how planets form, what they are made of, why they are the way they are, and how their moons, rings, and surrounding stellar systems evolve. My current research focuses on planet formation and interior composition. I am wrapping up my summer 2025 REU at the American Museum of Natural History with Dr. Linn Eriksson, modeling the formation of Uranus and Neptune from dust to planets. At BYU, I work with Dr. Darin Ragozzine modeling the interiors of Kepler multi-planet systems. I have also collaborated with Dr. Aleksander Mosenkov on the morphology of galaxies in the TNG50-SKIRT Atlas. Through these projects, I am helping to advance our understanding of planetary systems and of the infinite cosmos we all call home. I hope to publish my findings on these topics in the coming months. ...