�ٸ��þþþþñ�Ū���߳�

Image

Meet Dr. Carlos J. Vargas & Dr. Marcia Rieke

�¾��ٳ���Galaxy Slam on the horizon, we sat down with Dr. Carlos J. Vargas, and Dr. Marcia Rieke to learn more about their journeys to the stars. If you’re looking for the inside scoop on how to turn a deep love for the cosmos into an impactful, inspiring career, look no further.��

��

Can you describe your role and your primary area of space science research?

Dr. Vargas: I lead��, a NASA space telescope we’re building right here at U of A to find “missing” matter in the universe. What I find particularly interesting about my work with Aspera is that it's proving space exploration can be faster, cheaper, and accessible to everyone.

��

For decades, large space telescopes have cost billions of dollars and taken 20+ years to build, which meant only a handful of elite institutions could lead them. I want to change that. Aspera costs just 1% of these traditional missions and is being built in five years, with students playing a large role. It flips the entire model – universities can lead space missions, students can build the hardware, and breakthrough science can happen faster and more affordably than previously thought possible.

��

Dr. Rieke: I lead the team that designed, built, and tested the near-infrared camera for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). This camera, called NIRCam, has�� people associate with JWST.

��

My main research focus is leading a team that is finding and studying the most distant galaxies – the ones we are seeing at the youngest ages. We hope to learn how galaxies form and evolve over time.

��

What does a typical day look like for you as a researcher?

Dr. Vargas: There's no typical day, which is part of what I love. Some days I'm in our cleanroom overseeing our hardware build. Other days I'm reviewing test data or coordinating our 70-person international team. I also spend time as the mission's public face – talking to media, presenting to donors, and representing �ٸ��þþþþñ�Ū���߳�'s space capabilities. Add in service work for the university, plus fundraising to support students, and no two days look the same. The variety keeps things interesting.

��

Dr. Rieke: I typically get up early, go for a two-mile hilly walk, have breakfast, and then come to campus. I usually have some Zoom meetings, as my research group includes people from other places, including Europe. I also meet with the students and postdocs who are working with me, and they give me progress reports on their projects. I even occasionally have time to work on data myself using various computer programs and to read papers by others working in this area.

��

How does your work connect to Galaxy Slam?

Dr. Vargas:��Galaxy Slam celebrates space research happening at the University of �ٸ��þþþþñ�Ū���߳�, and Aspera is a perfect example. We're building hardware that's actually going to orbit – and we're doing it faster and cheaper, with students at the heart of the mission. There are real parallels to athletics too, like teamwork, training, high stakes, and representing �ٸ��þþþþñ�Ū���߳� at the highest level.

��

Dr. Rieke:��The main focus of my work is other galaxies and how they form, so Galaxy Slam is right up my alley.

��

When did you first realize you wanted to work in space science?

Dr. Vargas:��I kind of always knew. I wanted to be an astronaut since I was a kid. My mom and I would watch��Star Trek together, and I'd dream about being the captain of my own starship someday. As I got older, I learned that there are different ways to explore space. Now I lead a space mission with NASA! It's not the Enterprise, but it's my own version of that childhood dream.

��

Dr. Rieke:��I read a lot of science fiction as a child, and I became intrigued by visiting planets near other stars.

��

Was there a specific moment or experience that helped set you on this path?

Dr. Vargas: Honestly, I almost quit. I grew up in poverty and started college far less prepared than my peers. I was dealing with food insecurity and barely keeping up in classes. Then a faculty member took a chance on me and invited me to work in their research lab. Research clicked for me in ways that problem sets never did. It required creativity, persistence, and asking good questions – more like the skills I'd developed from years of making things work with fewer resources. I discovered I was actually good at this. That professor saw potential in me when I couldn't see it in myself, and it completely changed my trajectory.

��

Dr. Rieke:��When I was nine years old, the U.S. launched its first astronauts into orbit around the Earth. We watched the first rocket launches on a TV that a parent brought to class. I had one other experience that changed my course during my freshman year of college. I went to college thinking I would go into aeronautical engineering to become an astronaut. Then I took a course on galaxies and switched to being a physics major, which led to becoming an astronomer.

��

How did you first get involved in research as a student?

Dr. Vargas:��I literally just sent an email. I found a professor whose research sounded interesting and wrote something like, "Hi, I'm interested in what you're working on. Can I help out in your group?" I was worried he'd say no or ghost me, but he responded and said yes. I didn’t have particularly good grades or any special credentials, so I was super happy to be offered the opportunity!

��

Dr. Rieke:��The summer after my first year in college, I had a job working at the Maria Mitchell Observatory, where I took photographs of selected spots in the sky using a small telescope. The same spots had been photographed many times, so one could look for variable stars. I found some that had not been discovered before.

��

What skills or experiences were most important in helping you move into a research career?

Dr. Vargas:��The technical stuff, of course – like physics, math, coding, and data analysis. But two super underrated skills are writing and communication. You need to be able to write good proposals, and proposals are equal parts persuasive writing and technical writing.��

��

You also need to communicate across wildly different backgrounds. I work with optical engineers, software developers, NASA program managers, undergraduate students, etc. Each group speaks a different language. Being able to translate between worlds and for different audiences is just as important as the technical work.

��

Dr. Rieke:��I was good at math, reading, and science in elementary school. All of these areas enabled me to become a scientist.

��

What advice would you give to students who are interested in research but don’t know where to start?

Dr. Vargas:��Reach out to people! Find a professor you want to work with and ask if you can get involved. You don't need to fully understand their research or have perfect grades – you just need to be willing to work hard and learn new things.

��

Dr. Rieke: If a student is still in school, they should look for summer science opportunities, such as an internship. Reading biographies of famous scientists can also help. �ٸ��þþþþñ�Ū���߳� offers some summer science camps, which are another good introduction. Once in college, there will be many more avenues, such as science clubs and introductory classes.

��

How can students make the most of research opportunities at the University of �ٸ��þþþþñ�Ū���߳�?

Dr. Rieke:��Seek out faculty who either have research jobs or allow students to attend research group meetings. Asking upperclassmen about research opportunities can also be helpful. Don’t be afraid to make an appointment with a professor to discuss what might be possible.

��

What keeps you motivated and curious in your work, even when research gets challenging?

Dr. Vargas:��I'm almost never fully ready for the specific challenges that come up, but that’s just the reality of doing something new. I've learned to see every problem as a chance to grow – both as a researcher and as a person. When a test fails or we hit an unexpected obstacle, I choose to see it as a puzzle that will make me better at what I do. I always ask, “What are we learning from this?” and that keeps me motivated, even when research gets frustrating.

��

What’s one misconception students often have about research or space science careers?

Dr. Vargas:��That you need to be a genius or come from privilege. I grew up in poverty and wasn’t exactly excelling early on in college. But now I'm leading a NASA mission because research rewards persistence, creativity, and problem-solving under constraints –��those are skills you develop.��

��

Growing up making things work with limited resources actually prepared me for building a space telescope on a crazy tight budget. Another misconception is that research is solo work. Science advances through collaboration, communication, and teamwork.

��

Dr. Rieke:��Research covers a lot of territory, from biology and chemistry to learning about things in space. To participate in research, one just has to be willing to learn new things. A student doesn’t need to be a genius – just ready to learn and work hard.

Want to see more Wildcats pushing the boundaries of space science? From groundbreaking discoveries to student-led projects, the full Galaxy Slam lineup is ready to inspire.��Check it out and get involved in events across campus from February 14–21.

��