Clarissa Pavao

Clarissa Pavao is a doctoral student in Physics with degrees in Space Physics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a Master of Engineering from University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign. Her research investigates the properties of dark matter and galaxy formation. Growing up in the rural Midwest, she had limited exposure to the field of physics; however, her passion for space research was ignited during her undergraduate studies. In addition to sparking her interest in the field, her passion led her to co-found the first observing team at Embry-Riddle to encourage students from diverse backgrounds to engage in research and improve retention rates in physics and astronomy. In her free time, Clarissa enjoys baking, paint-by-numbers activities, gardening, and visiting Disneyland.