Her whole life, Shiqi Yu knew she wanted to be a scientist. Although she wasn’t sure which direction she wanted to go initially, she was inspired by the challenge of solving complex problems. Now, she has one problem she’s determined to solve: figuring out how the highest energy neutrinos are produced.
The first time Shiqi was introduced to neutrino particle physics was in graduate school at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Through a joint collaboration with Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, she worked as a research assistant at Argonne National Laboratory, where she investigated neutrino oscillations.
“Pick something that you really like.”
Shiqi Yu
This experience led to a PhD at Argonne, a postdoc position at Michigan State University, and now, a position as a research assistant professor at the University of Utah. Now that she’s discovered her passion for high-energy astrophysics, Shiqi is in it for the long haul. To do the kind of research she does, she says it’s important to be patient.
Outside of science, Shiqi enjoys sewing, dancing, and snowboarding. “You need to learn how to relax.” What helps Shiqi relax often involves finding physical activities to keep her body as well as her brain active. “Pick something that you really like. It could be tennis, it could be just jogging. Keep yourself busy, but in a different way.”