Savannah Romero, alongside five other winners from Northern New Mexico, clinched the STEMarts Apprenticeship award this year. Since January, apprentices have delved into various fields, including new media arts, XR technologies, 3D modeling, particle physics, astrophysics, and space science. A key objective of the program is for each apprentice to identify an area of interest to deepen their knowledge and eventually lead others in that field.
Savannah entered the program with a passion for physics, so for her the choice happened quickly. I remember Savannah from her high school days when she secured one of the prizes for Most Sustainable design in the BioMachine Challenge. Now, as a freshman at UNM Taos with aspirations to transfer to NM Tech, she finds herself perfectly aligned with her goals.
It was a natural fit for Savannah to assume the role of ‘Research Assistant’ for the Fermilab artist residency, where I am embarking on particle physics research for the proposed Space Messengers AR (Augmented Reality) installation. Savannah will accompany me in virtual meetings with physicists, aiding in reading and gathering information, grasping concepts of high-energy physics, and contributing to ideas for communicating scientific concepts through art.
Savannah will be documenting her research and experience on her website blog, which apprentices create as part of the program. Additionally, she will share what she learns with fellow apprentices. Today was our first meeting with Dr. Luis Enrique Mendoza, quantum physicist and Senior Education Program Leader (Quantum) at Fermilab where we learned about his area of research, exotic new quantum phases of matter. Congratulations, Savannah!
Stay tuned to discover the exciting journeys of other apprentices in the program.