PhD Candidate Aaron Trigg Receives NASA’s Prestigious FINESST Fellowship

Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) has awarded LSU graduate student Aaron Trigg with a fellowship to design and perform research projects that contribute to the NASA Science Mission Directorate’s science, technology, and exploration goals.

Trigg is pursuing a career in astronomy with a desire to gain experience as a research assistant and make a meaningful contribution in the field of astrophysics. 

"It is truly exciting to have been awarded the FINESST fellowship,” said Trigg. “I have so many questions about the cosmos and our place in it. This award allows me to explore those questions and share the answers with the world.”

Under the fellowship, Trigg will have the primary initiative to define the proposed FINESST research project and be the primary author. FINESST awards are research grants for up to three years and up to $50K per year.

Trigg’s proposal is titled “Identifying a Population of Magnetar Giant Flares.” Trigg’s mentor, LSU Assistant Professor Eric Burns said “Aaron’s proposal will help us identify additional magnetar giant flares. These are gargantuan outbursts of energy from the strongest magnets in the Universe, which are powerful enough to affect Earth’s atmosphere. His work will help us better understand these sources.”

Prior to enrolling in LSU’s Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School, Trigg has extensive experience within music and retail industries, ranging from musical instrument storeowner, luthier, teacher and musician. 

The Science Mission Directorate received a total of 1120 proposals that were submitted to the FINESST competition within the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) entitled “NASA Research Announcement: Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences” (ROSES-2023)." Five SMD divisions at NASA Headquarters, i.e., Astrophysics, Biological and Physical Sciences, Earth Science, Heliophysics, and Planetary Science, conducted/provided oversight for the review and selection process. 

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Contact: Mimi LaValle

External Relations Manager

LSU Department of Physics & Astronomy

mlavall@lsu.edu

225-439-5633