Meet Central American-Caribbean Astronomy Bridge Program Fellows - Part 7

The Central American - Caribbean Bridge in Astrophysics (Cenca Bridge) is a nonprofit organization established in the state of Tennessee in the United States with the mission to create and develop astronomy research opportunities in Central America and the Caribbean. Opportunities to pursue astrophysics in the region are few with only a handful of programs offering master’s in physics with a concentration in astronomy.  Cenca Bridge connects undergraduates from Central America and the Caribbean to mentors and advisors overseas in hope that they have the choice to pursue astrophysics as a profession. Every year, Cenca Bridge holds the remote internship program, where undergraduate students from the region apply to be selected for a 3-month long paid research internship. As the only organization to provide a paid research remote internship, it is important to highlight the contributions that many women in astrophysics from Central America and the Caribbean have already contributed to our field.

In this series, we will highlight selected fellows. If you'd like to learn more about the program and ways you can get involved please visit https://cencabridgeastro.weebly.com/.

My name is Linsy Abigail Martinez Rubio, I am 21 years old, I am from Honduras, and I am currently in my fourth year of undergraduate studies in Physics at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras. When I was just a child, I didn't have a clear idea of what I wanted to dedicate myself to. However, as I grew up and became passionate about science, I became truly convinced that this is what I want to do to do science, to be able to confront the unknown and seek answers to it, which I find absolutely amazing.

In addition to doing science, I also want other people, or more precisely, more women in my country, to be attracted to it and to see the vast world of study and the fantastic opportunities that exist in physics. I want them to see that we can also do science. That's why I am a member of the Society of Women in Space Exploration (SWISE).

I have always found what is beyond our planet interesting, looking at these celestial bodies on TV or seeing images that my teachers used to decorate the classroom. I thought it was fabulous that all of this existed out there. That's why I've always had a passion and interest in astronomy, and that's why I decided to apply for the remote internship at Cenca-Bridge.

My aspirations are to keep learning and researching, apply for a master's program abroad, and motivate people to join this world. I hope that we can do science in our country without being frustrated by the lack of interest in this field.

Currently, I am calculating models of stellar evolution, and I am fascinated by observing the behavior of these stars in their evolutionary stages and the physical and chemical compositions they possess. It's absolutely amazing. I use programs in which we can change various parameters such as solar masses, metallicities, and rotational velocities of these stellar formations.

One of the most important things in my life is my academic achievements. I like to focus on them and, in some way, always try to be disciplined to maintain control in this aspect of my life. I also enjoy spending quality time with my friends, going out, and enjoying those moments. The key to making this possible is organizing every aspect of my life.

One important social issue is the lack of interest in education among a significant portion of the country's population, particularly those who lack resources and live in extreme poverty.

As for my short-term plans, they include successfully completing my university education and conducting more research in astrophysics and materials science.