In The Nest: From Cooper Natatorium to NASA with Christy Harper
Presented by Medical Mutual
11/1/2023
A senior for the Falcons Harper is a Freestyle and Backstroke swimmer. Well accomplished in and out of the pool, last season Harper was named to the Academic All-MAC team.
Q: First tell us about your internship experience this summer?
Harper: I was a part of the NASA Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) this summer. I spent 8 weeks in California with 23 other interns. For the first two weeks, we were in Palmdale learning about airborne research campaigns and flying on the NASA DC-8 as a part of the AEROMMA mission. We talked with researchers from around the world and were able to take a close look at the instruments on board. I was able to fly on several legs of the campaign, as well as participate in ground research while the plane flew overhead. After our flights, we moved to Irvine, where we were split into groups with different research focuses. I was a part of the Whole Air Sampling (WAS) group, that looked at volatile organic compounds and various other chemicals through the use of whole air canisters. Each student used the data collected from the research campaign and other available NASA data to create a research project and presentation. My project was related to dimethyl sulfide (DMS) in the Salton Sea and Pacific Ocean. Through the evaluation of the kinetics of the sulfur cycle, specifically DMS to sulfur dioxide (SO2), it was found that there were surprisingly high amounts of sulfur dioxide over the Salton Sea. This leads us to believe that there are other sources of sulfur dioxide near the Salton Sea, that is not accounted for in models of the sulfur cycle at this time.
I was also able to take trips to the beach, farmers markets, and explore different areas of California with the other students. We were able to try surfing and skimboarding. We went on hikes on the weekends. We explored the bookstores, shops, and museums in LA.
Q: What was your favorite part about working with NASA?
Harper: I enjoyed getting firsthand experience at airborne research. Through the experience, I found that I love field campaigns and atmospheric research. Getting on the aircraft for the first time is something I will never forget. I was able to work with fantastic mentors and peers that helped me grow as a researcher, student, and person. The community that surrounded the program this summer made it an amazing experience. I loved having the opportunity to ask questions to top notch scientists and collaborate with them. The people were excited for the research and to share it with others, me included. The program gave me a group of friends and colleagues from all over the country. NASA was a place where I was comfortable asking questions and exploring different areas of research.
Q: What are some of your future career goals?
Harper: My goal is to become an atmospheric chemist, working on field campaigns and discovering new things about our atmosphere.
Q: Moving to the swim side, when did you start swimming and how did you know you wanted to continue your career?
Harper: I started swimming on my summer team when I was 8. I started because I had close family friends that I looked up to, who all swam. I wanted to be more like them, and spend time with them, so I joined the team. I fell in love with swimming as soon as I started racing. I don’t have a specific moment when I decided to swim in college. I always knew I wanted to swim for as long as possible, whether that be on a college team or club. I didn’t realize I could swim in college until one of my coaches pushed me to look into it. BGSU allowed me to continue my love for the sport.
Q: When did you learn about BGSU Swim?
Harper: I learned about the program when I was a junior and started talking to Coach Perkins when I was a senior. I used SwimCloud to find programs where my times were competitive, then started looking for teams that had a good culture.
Q: What made you decide that you wanted to attend BGSU?
Harper: I really liked the atmosphere at BGSU. Everyone was supportive and wanted to see you succeed athletically and academically. BG was a place I knew I would be challenged, but also supported in everything I did.
BG also had the best dessert.
Q: What is your favorite moment as a Falcon?
Harper: I have a hard time narrowing this down. My favorite moments are when I can race and do well in a sport I love, with a team of people that all love each other and what we do.
Q: Who inspired you most growing up?
Harper: I had a lot of people to look up to when I was growing up. I was able to look to many different people for inspiration in the different areas of my life. My family, specifically my mom and grandma, were my models for what strength looked like. My teammates inspired me in the pool and weight room, as I saw their hard work and drive every day. My dad and grandpa were the ones who inspired my curiosity in the classroom, they were always wanting to learn and share what they knew. My brother was the person I looked to for how to treat others and be a good listener. I had a lot of people inspiring me in and out of the pool, helping me be a better athlete and person.
Q: What is your favorite restaurant and or meal?
Harper: In BG, I really like Call of the Canyon and El Zarape. I love the cheesecake from Grounds for Thought and ice cream from Sundae Station.
Q: What is your favorite spot on-campus?
Harper: I like the Math Science building, Jerome library (specifically any spot with a whiteboard and the 7th floor), and the green space by University Hall and the seal when its warm outside!
Q: Describe Coach Perkins in one word?
Harper: Enthusiastic
