Rachel R. Langgin

I am driven by a curiosity to understand the Universe on extragalactic scales through astrophysical research. I am currently an Astronomy PhD student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, working with Dr. Carl-Johan Haster and the LIGO Scientific Collaboration. I study binary black holes and neutron stars through the distortions of spacetime caused by passing Gravitational Waves (GWs).

My research focuses on waveform systematics in GW analyses and early-warning signals from binary neutron star mergers, for both current detectors like LIGO and future observatories such as Cosmic Explorer and the Einstein Telescope. Alongside this work, I am deeply invested in making GW science more accessible and inclusive, contributing to public engagement and mentoring efforts within the broader scientific community.

I earned my degree in Astrophysics from Haverford College through Bryn Mawr College, where I also minored in Dance. My undergraduate thesis, conducted with Dr. Eilat Glikman (Middlebury College) and Dr. Karen Masters (Haverford), examined spectral differences in red and blue quasars and their connection to galactic evolution.

My interests in dance are rooted in my childhood study of voice at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts. In my daily movement practice, I explore space and time from a unique physical perspective that complements and broadens my artistic expression.