A picture of Sammy outdoors

Sammy Siegel

He/they

Hi there! My name is Sammy and I'm an astrophysicist! Welcome to my personal/professional website.

I am a graduate student at Boston University, currently studying the heliosphere—the "bubble" around our solar system formed by the Sun's solar wind. I work with professor Merav Opher on simulations of the heliosphere as part of the NASA SHIELD Drive Science Center.

I grew up just outside Boston and then attended Oberlin College in Ohio, graduating with a degree in physics and astronomy. Now I'm back in Boston!

A colorful plot from my undergraduate thesis.

My Research

I just recently finished my undergraduate thesis presenting a model for the scintillation behavior observed in pulsar B1737+13. Feel free to check out my research page for a more detailed description, a link to my thesis, and to a recording of a general audience talk I gave about my research.

Image credit: NASA. An artist rendition of the heliosphere, showing the Sun, termination shock, and heliopause.

At BU, I work with Dr. Merav Opher on simulations of the heliosphere as part of the SHIELD Drive Science Center. My current research is focused on understanding how galactic cosmic rays enter the heliosphere and how they are affected by the solar wind.

Outside of Astronomy

I love to play music, with "play" being the operative word. You'll catch me playing oboe, banjo, bass guitar, tin whistle, bodhran, hammered dulcimer, and whatever else I can get my hands on! I'm also an avid fan of soccer/futbol; I support Liverpool F.C. mens' and womens' teams, but I'll watch any game that's on. My other hobbies include cooking and video games.

Contact Me

Please feel free to reach out! Here's where you can reach me: