Dr. Svenja Fleischer
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Western Washington University. I received my PhD in physics in 2005 from the University of Heidelberg in Heidelberg, Germany. Following postdoctoral positions at the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics, at the Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, and at the University of Washington, I was a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Washington and a Visiting Professor at Grand Valley State University. My research interests include precision experiments in fundamental physics, gravitational physics, and research and development for gravitational wave detectors.
Outside of work, I love to spend time outdoors, including climbing, backcountry skiing, trail running, sailing, and volunteering with mountain rescue.
Jackson Larsen (Undergraduate Student)
Jackson is a fourth-year undergraduate student pursuing his B.S. in Physics with additional minors in Astronomy and Mathematics. He joined the Gravity Group at Western Washington University in the Winter Quarter of 2022, and he is working on an optical cryostat for research related to LIGO Voyager.
When not working in the lab or caught up in the throes of academics, Jackson enjoys exploring the surrounding hiking trails, or riding his motorcycle along the local scenic routes in the warmer months.
Veronica Russ (Undergraduate Student)
Veronica is a third-year student working towards a B.S. in Physics with additional minors in Astronomy, Mathematics, and Materials Science. She joined the Gravity Group in Summer of 2023, and she is working on an interactive model of the LIGO test mass suspensions for the LIGO Exploration Center LExC at LIGO Hanford.
When not in the lab, Veronica enjoys playing video/board games, drawing/painting, reading, and playing/cuddling with her cats.
Douglas Slater (Undergraduate Student)
Douglas is a senior in the Physics and Cybersecurity programs, with minors in Astronomy and Mathematics. He joined the Gravity group in Spring 2022, and has spent that time developing software to automate experiments and data collection.
When not in the lab, Douglas spends his free time playing video games, learning about other disciplines such as history and political science, or just playing with his cats.
Leah Vizmeg (Undergraduate Student)
Leah is a third-year student working towards a B.S. in Physics with minors in Astronomy and Mathematics. As part of the leadership of the student club “Physicists for Inclusion in STEM”, she is also working to give everyone a voice in science. She joined the Gravity Group in Spring 2023 and is currently assembling a cryostat for LIGO-related instrument science.
Outside of work and school, Leah enjoys playing board games, climbing, and exploring the beautiful nature around Western.
Your name could be here!
If you are a WWU student interested in research opportunities, don’t hesitate to reach out!