• Brooke Owens Fellow, Class of 2024

• University of Alabama, Physics and Mathematics, ‘24

• Host Institution: Loft Orbital

• Mentor: Mini Wadha

• Brookie Mentor: Amanda Desmond

Brenna Wells is a senior Astrophysics and Mathematics student at the University of Alabama. Her interest in science began through her father’s attempts at lulling her siblings to sleep on long car rides by playing “Blue Planet,” an ocean documentary. Although she may hate to admit this strategy occasionally worked, the films also ignited an intense spark of curiosity for the world around her. When she managed to get her hands on a book larger than her head showcasing Hubble’s images of the cosmos, there was no stopping her fire. From space camp ‘foam’ experiments, building small Lego robots, and even working for NASA’s Roman Space Telescope, Brenna’s fascination with space never slowed down.

Through her course of study, she found the value of her voice as a woman in an underrepresented field. Hailing from a small town in the rural south, Brenna knew both the importance and power of an inclusive and diverse community. She is particularly proud of her university’s Women in Physics and Astronomy (WiPA) group, which, under her co-leadership, grew from 5 members to 30+ members of various fields and graduate levels. They even managed to get matching sweatshirts! Go team!

Brenna is also particularly passionate about her diverse set of hobbies, including cooking, glass blowing, 3D printing, and fishing! She believes that science and art can intersect. She is also a proponent that a multidisciplinary approach is an asset in any project. Currently, she is working towards aligning her interest in science with her passion for creation by exploring ideas like the construction of cube satellites through additive manufacturing and the search for intermediate mass black holes (IMBH) through machine learning.

Outside of her studies and hobbies, Brenna conducts research working on a large-scale search for black holes within dwarf galaxy mergers. This is a notoriously difficult task within astronomy. However, her group has been able to find 4 within two and a half years and publish it! Although awesome, it still holds a tie for her fondest memory. The other memory being on NASA’s Roman Space Telescope team and seeing the struggle of the annual chili contest.

As a Brooke Owens Fellow, Brenna looks forward to hearing the strongest voices of women in aerospace to create a lasting impact. She is also incredibly excited for her time working with Loft Orbital, gaining the opportunity to integrate her passion for science and technology as part of the Dynamics Team.