Daniella Roberts

Daniella Roberts was born in Quito, Ecuador to an Ecuadorian mother and American father. Her love for astronomy started at about age 6 after her father bought a telescope so she could gaze at the blanket of stars seen on clear nights in the Andes.

This spring, she is receiving her bachelor’s in physics with a minor in astronomy. Under the guidance of astronomy professor James Webb, Daniella studies telescopic images of quasars. These compact regions in the center of galaxies are known to serve as sources for electromagnetic energy including radio waves. The ultimate goal of her research is to better understand the very early history of our universe, right after the Big Bang.

Daniella was one of the first students to operate the new 24-inch telescope atop FIU’s Stocker AstroScience Center. She volunteers at the various star parties hosted at the observatory every semester where she helps students and members of the community learn how to operate telescopes, find the season’s constellations and answer astronomy-related questions. She is treasurer of FIU’s Astronomy Club and a member of the Society of Physics Students. She is helping to transform how physics is taught as a learning assistant. She is also the recipient of the Southern Cross Astronomical Society Scholarship Award presented to physics majors at FIU who have demonstrated a strong interest in astronomy.

After graduation, Daniella will pursue a doctoral degree to continue to inspire the next generation of scientists and explorers.