Moiya McTier

"I used to laugh at the idea that the study of folklore is scientific, but now I know that science is more about process than content."

Position/Title: Astrophysicist, Folklorist, Science Communicator

Affiliation: Columbia University

AAS Positions:

• Committee on the Status of Minorities in Astronomy (CSMA) member, 2018–2021

Areas of Scientific Interest: My thesis topic is galactic habitability from a dynamics perspective. I'm trying to see how the motion of the Milky Way affects exoplanet populations.

Accomplishments:

• AAS Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Student Award, 2016
• National Astronomy Consortium Fellow, 2017–2018
• Astronomy in Chile Education Ambassador, 2018
• National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, 2018–2021