Vanya Agrawal, an Indian American junior majoring in astrophysics and minoring in music at Washington University in St. Louis, thinks about astronomical phenomena in ways that go beyond typical calculations and observations.
Her interest in the musical side of space began in high school in Palos Verdes Estates, California, where she worked with researchers at Palomar Observatory. She helped translate data from 8,000 novae into symphonies in a process called sonification, according to an article published in WashU Arts & Sciences.
The brightness of each nova determined loudness, while speed dictated pitch. Using her knowledge of musical composition, she layered on chords and lo-fi beats for an ethereal final product.
At WashU, Agrawal continues developing projects that merge astrophysics and music. She plans to create original compositions using data she has collected at the university.
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She noted that space sonification creates vast possibilities for outreach, with researchers at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile sonifying data from distant galaxies to create a soundscape of the cosmos.
In an essay published in Sky and Telescope magazine, Agrawal wrote that sonification can help bridge scientific research and public understanding. Not only can non-scientists listen to the music to get a different perspective on the cosmos, but they can also use sonification tools to make their own music.
“It’s a new way for people to interact with data,” she wrote. “Sonification uses senses to try to understand something we haven’t fully comprehended.”
Agrawal collects her own data as an undergraduate researcher in the lab of Henric Krawczynski, the Wilfred R. and Ann Lee Konneker Distinguished Professor in Physics. Among other things, she works on analyzing the performance of gamma ray detectors and optimizing them for future space missions.
Alongside her research, Agrawal is a member of the WashU Satellite space mission engineering team and performs with Sur Taal Laya, a campus a cappella group that blends Western and South-Asian music styles. Agrawal, who has been studying Kathak since four years old, also captains an Indian classical dance team.
This summer, she will intern with Reflect Orbital, a satellite company focused on developing 24-hour sunlight that can be used to generate solar energy, increase agricultural output, and illuminate emergency zones.
A California native, Agrawal came to WashU after receiving a prestigious full-tuition Ampersand scholarship.
As she looks ahead, Agrawal is considering a second major in systems engineering as she continues exploring both the scientific and applied sides of space work. “I really love astrophysics, but I’ve also been getting more interested in the applied side of space studies. I’d like to take a big-picture view of different aspects of a space mission.”