Vasilisa M. (IN A NUTSHELL)

Vasilisa is a sophomore at Yale University, where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Physics (Intensive). An aspiring physicist aiming for an eventual PhD, she finds great joy in the pursuit of discovery and is committed to sharing that excitement with her students. Vasilisa believes that studying how the universe works is the highest honor and is devoted to inspiring her students to pursue studies and explore careers in physics.

However, she teaches more than just physics and math. Vasilisa aims to impart far more important lessons about perseverance and resilience, encouraging her students to persist through even the most daunting challenges. For her, fostering self-confidence and the ability to tackle any problem from first principles is far more important than mastering or memorizing formulas. 

At Yale, Vasilisa is actively engaged in astrophysics research, searching for distant supermassive blackholes observed with the James Webb Space Telescope and will be joining a nuclear physics research group at Wright Lab this fall. She has also researched the impact of optical frequency combs on radio signal fidelity for secure X-band radio communications, at The National Institute of Standards and Technology, and tracked near-earth asteroids at the Yale Summer Program in Astrophysics.

In high school, Vasilisa co-founded Space Club and served as president of both the Science National Honors Society and the Tri-M Music Honors Society. She also organized a 25-student school trip to The Big Island, promoting environmental and cultural awareness in scientific research. The trip included a tour of the 14000 ft Maunakea Summit Keck Observatory, constructing an Imu and talking story with elders, and snorkeling with manta rays at night.

Growing up in Colorado, Vasilisa has always loved the Earth - climbing mountains, camping, kayaking, rafting, road-tripping, and hiking. In her free time, you can find Vasilisa dancing, skiing, traveling, ice-skating, practicing goat yoga, volunteering on farms, meditating in salt caves, or learning how to surf.