Hi everyone! My name is Josh, and I just completed a year of research at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, located in Cambridge MA, just across the river from Boston. This replaced the standard 4th year of an integrated master’s in astrophysics, and it turned out to be one of the most valuable and treasured experiences of my life.
While of course there was a sense of trepidation as the trip approached, this having been the furthest and longest I’d be away from home, I was excited to set out and take this opportunity at such a renowned institution within my field. It did also help that the host country has the largest population of English speakers in the world, and so I didn’t have to deal with the daunting task of assimilating into a new language.
The year started out with the 5 of us who were invited onto this trip landing in sunny Boston. As it turned out, the Massachussetts weather seemed to resemble back home in the UK, but with more extreme peaks and dips in temperature throughout the year (particularly the dips, as I’ll get onto later). A 25 minute taxi ride took us to our home for the year in Somerville, located north-west across the river from Boston.
While its host residents would be offended at such a notion, you can think of Somerville as a suburbian extention of the Boston city, with rows of towering, pastelled-coloured houses connecting at “squares”, where you will find your shops, restaurants and general public amenities. The Center for Astrophysics (CfA) itself was located about a half-hour walk from our home, just across the boundary into Cambridge, which is nestled just under Somerville. Despite there being no distinct boundary between the two cities, you can really notice the difference when you walk across it, with the architecture and general vibe shifting to something I would maybe say is more historic. In fact, it is in Cambridge where you can find a number of renowned Universities, including Harvard and MIT, and so the buildings and population there is likely reflective of the fact. Together, the suburbian area of Somerville and Cambridge really is one of the just outright nicest places I’ve lived in, with clean streets, friendly residents, and just a strong sense of community I’ve never experienced anywhere else.
I also had the chance to travel to other destinations in the US, both as part of the trip and as a holiday itself. One requirement of the exchange was attending the American Astronomer’s Society convention (AAS), which in the winter was hosted some 10 miles from the Washington D.C. This was one of the biggest gatherings of astronomers in history, and I got to experience a wealth of the newest innovative research across the field. When we had a moment of free time away from poster presentations, we set out into the capital, and got to experience the National Mall and a few Smithsonian museums. It was pretty cool to see what you’ve seen a million times in media in person.
The winter was pretty harsh, with only a little snow but a lot of ice, which lasted through to the end of March. As if we hadn’t had enough of the cold, we headed up north to the White Mountains in New Hampshire at the start of April, which turned out to still be a Winter wonderland. Without the appropriate footwear, we found ourself kneedeep in snow as we slogged through the trails, but it was definitely worth it to have such a unique experience. You can see below a frozen waterfall we found on one of these trails which was pretty cool.
Overall, this really was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, having been able to experience so many new and exciting things which I honestly don’t think I would have otherwise. The friends, connections and memories I made here will last for the rest of my life, and the doors it opened for my future cannot be understated. If you are on the fence about one of these opportunities, then I implore you to make that leap, as I know you won’t regret it.
