Martha W. Buckley
marthab@mit.edu
410 Memorial Drive #141F
Cambridge, MA 02139
617) 225-6314
Education:
2000-current
1997-2000
4345 Yuma St. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20016
202) 966-6703
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Candidate for B.S. in Mathematics and Physics, June 2004
GPA: 4.9/5.0
Woodrow Wilson High School, Washington, D.C.
GPA: 4.25/4.0
Work Experience
January 2004 Research on diffusion-driven flows with Professor Thomas Peacock in fluids Lab at MIT.
Conducted experiments to measure the velocity of the diffusion-driven flow along an inclined
boundary in a stratified fluid and compared experimental data to theoretical predictions.
Summer 2003 Research Intern, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Dept. of Terrestrial Magnetism
Interned as part of NSF Research Experience for Undergrads program. Research with Dr.
Kathleen Flint on the neutral hydrogen mass function of the nearby group of galaxies Leo I.
January 2002
Intern at Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, Arizona.
Worked with Dr. David Schleicher on modeling the coma of comets in order to calculate the rate
at which different gasses are sublimating off the nucleus. Included experience collecting data
using phototubes with a number of different aperture sizes.
Fall 2002
Teaching assistant in a seminar called Observing Planets and Stars.
Duties included: helping students set up telescopes, plan nightly observation sessions, find
objects, and record observations, both by drawing and taking CCD frames.
Summer 2002 Research Intern at Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
Interned with VSEP program. Research with Dr. J. Anthony Gualtieri creating an edge detector
that utilizes both spatial and spectral information to find edges in hyperspectral data.
Summer 2001 Interned at the Dinner Program for Homeless Women, Washington, D.C.
Responsibilities included running a computer clinic and arts and crafts sessions and preparing
meals.
Lab Experience
Physics:
Junior Lab: The focus of the physics lab was primarily quantum, nuclear, and particle physics.
Astronomy:
Biology:
Observational Techniques of Optical Astronomy
The focus of the observational astronomy lab was an individual research project. For my
project I created a HR-diagram of the Pleiades and attempted to estimate the age of the cluster.
Research in MIT biology lab, January 2001
The goal of the larger project on which I was working was to genetically engineer
corynebacteria to overproduce the amino acid lycine. My specific project was to use restriction
enzymes to remove the kanomycine resistance gene from the plasmid JP10, which was being
used as a cloning vector in the experiment.
Programming Experience
I know the programming languages Pascal, C++, MATLAB, IDL, IRAF, MIRIAD, SM, and LaTEX. I completed
Advanced Placement Computer Science AB my senior year in high school and received a 5 on the AP exam. In
addition to the labs or AP Computer Science, I have written a number of larger programs,including a final project
which involved the creation of a polynomial calculator capable of performing calculus operations.
Presentations
I presented a poster entitled “Mapping the HI Distribution of Leo I” at the January 2004 meeting of the American
Astronomical Society.
Leadership
Captain of MIT Varsity Indoor and Outdoor Track Teams (2002-current)
Captain of Varsity Cross-Country Team (2003)
Captain of Woodrow Wilson High School Cross-Country Team 1999
Captain of Woodrow Wilson High School Indoor and Outdoor Track Teams 1999-2000
Honors
2003 Philip A. Trussell Prize (given to the MIT undergraduate student-athlete who demonstrates skill,
sportsmanship, and levity),
2000 Presidential Scholar,
2000 National Merit Scholar,
1999-2000 AP Scholar
1999-2000 Advanced Placement Scholar
MIT Cross-Country MVP 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003
All New England Team in Cross-Country, 2002
All New England Division III Team in Indoor Track, 2002 and 2003
All New England Division III Team in Outdoor Track, 2003
All Conference Team in Cross-Country, 2001, 2002, and 2003
All Conference Team in Outdoor Track, 2001 and 2002
Academic All-Conference Team, Cross-Country and Outdoor Track, 2002-2003
Woodrow Wilson High School Athlete of the Year, 1999 and 2000
Woodrow Wilson High School Cross Country MVP 1997-1999