Shifting Worldviews: Meet Lowell Fellow Dr. Taylor Kutra
At Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, Dr. Taylor Kutra is a rising star in the field of astronomy. A Lowell Postdoctoral Fellow, Taylor specializes in young binary star systems, using cutting-edge data to explore the origins of planets in these fascinating environments. Taylor’s journey from the cities of Vancouver and Squamish in Canada to the serene mountain town of Flagstaff is as compelling as her research.
Taylor’s journey is not just about scientific achievements; it’s about leaning into new and challenging situations – and inspiring the next generation of scientists. Her path, marked by academic rigor and personal resilience, exemplifies the transformative power of education and mentorship.
Throwing Herself Into The Unknown: University Years
Taylor’s academic path may look different than most; she got her undergraduate degree from Quest University Canada, which was a non-profit, secular liberal arts and sciences university in Squamish, British Columbia. Initially, Taylor considered studying biology in college, but a mentor recognized an aptitude for math and encouraged exploring physics. After taking advanced math and astrophysics courses, which she thoroughly enjoyed, it became clear that physics was the true passion.
“I did not start my undergrad thinking I would end up where I did,” Taylor said. ”When I was in high school, I thought that physics was too hard,” she admitted, “but in university, when I actually had the space to just sort of throw myself at it, I ended up really liking it.”
Then, in her fourth year, the difficult question came. As she was finishing undergraduate studies, a research advisor asked her what her plans were after graduation.
“I was the first person in my family to go to university,” Taylor explained, “so I had no intention of carrying on after my undergrad. I thought that after I finished my degree I would go off and work in a lab somewhere.”
Also, the expense and piling school loans were a big concern of hers. But her advisor had some news: a graduate degree in astronomy or physics could be fully funded, with a stipend. That changed the tune of her academic journey.
“I hadn’t originally planned on this path, but thanks to the encouragement from two excellent mentors, I realized it was something I really wanted to do,” Taylor explained.
Again, Taylor continued to throw herself into different environments and challenges, finding that it was the best way to get her excited about learning new facets of astronomy.
“I got to grad school and the person that I wanted to work with did theoretical astrophysics,” she said. “That is an entirely different beast, so again I was just in the situation where I again switched fields. At this point, I’m just throwing myself at new experiences, and I’ve been really enjoying that method ever since.”
This differs greatly from the typical expectation of knowing your science niche at a young age and being locked in once you get to a doctorate level, but Taylor liked doing things a bit differently. Thanks to her time at the liberal arts school, and support from her mentors, she felt comfortable going a different path. She tries to share this attitude and openness to various career paths with her students today.
“I really had to sort of figure it out on my own,” Taylor explained, “and there’s a lot of aspects of higher education that are just implicit. We expect people to know them, but people don’t necessarily figure it out on their own.”
Taylor’s ultimate career goal is to teach at a small liberal arts university like Quest University. “It made a huge impact on me, and it’s where I discovered my love of STEM,” she says. “It really shifted my entire worldview.”
Taylor’s Research Into Planetary Formation
Discovery and exploration go hand in hand with the research Taylor does today. She earned her PhD in Astronomy and Astrophysics from the University of Toronto, where she ran computer simulations of the gas and dust in young planetary systems to figure out how dust patterns form.
Pursuing a desire to continue her research after earning her PhD, Taylor applied for a number of postdoctoral positions at institutions all over the world. Ultimately, she chose a 3-year appointment at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, because she was excited about broadening her research interests and already knew and loved the cozy mountain town and had family nearby.
Generally, Taylor’s research aims to understand how the environment in which planet formation occurs, the protoplanetary disk, influences the planets they might form, and how planet formation might proceed. At Lowell, Taylor’s research centers around young binary star systems, which she studies using data gathered by NRAO’s Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in the Atacama Desert of Chile and telescopes at the W. M. Keck Observatory in Waimea, Hawaii.
These young stars can have what are called protoplanetary discs—primordial discs of gas and dust that can eventually form new planets. In these multi-star systems, one or both of the stars can have a disc around it (circumstellar disks), or there can be a disk which surrounds both stars (a circumbinary) disk) .
Taylor’s favorite part of her job at Lowell, however, is teaching and working with students. She helps them gain research experience for their future careers in astronomy.
Lowell is excited to see what all Taylor accomplishes during her tenure as the Lowell Fellow. Her passion to guide students in a variety of STEM careers helps open up the world of astronomy to more people.
“It’s so amazing to teach them useful skills and help them understand how research works practically,” she says. “I love the mentorship aspect in helping them find their career goals and what they want out of science and astronomy.”