Katrina Miller, B.S. 2016

PhD Student, University of Chicago Physics Department – Chicago, Illinois

2016 Major: Physics; minor in Mathematics

How has being a Physics graduate from Duke helped shape you personally and/or professionally?

"Successfully tackling one of the hardest subjects I have ever tried to learn was an extremely affirming, confidence-boosting experience for me. And it's a lesson I apply in many areas of my life: "If I can do physics, surely I can figure this out, too." It goes without saying that I would not have had the courage to pursue a physics degree if I didn't have the support/guidance from the professors at Duke. I am extremely grateful for the lifelong mentors I made along the way."

What advice would you give students in Duke's Physics programs? 

"The same advice my Duke research mentor once gave me: Believing in yourself can be one of the most difficult things to do, but it's one of the most important qualities a physicist should have. You have to believe that, even if you don't know how to do something now, you are capable of figuring it out. Because that's what physicists do."

 

Katrina Miller