"In Fall 2009 Jamie Bougher was one of the first students admitted to the new PhD program in Physics and Astronomy and was also the first physics student in recent memory to be awarded a University Fellowship.  She is a wonderful role model for women in physics and a great asset to the department."

Dr. Chris Davis, Department of Physics  

           Jamie Bougher received her Bachelor of Science degree in Physics with minors in both French and Mathematics from Michigan Technological University. She spent a summer at the University of Michigan to participate in REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) funded by the National Science Foundation. Jamie is currently a second year doctoral student at the University of Louisville studying Physics and Astronomy. 

Interview:
How would you describe your area of study/ specific research to your grandmother?

I study fundamental particles. The things that make up atoms are protons, neutrons, and electrons. Electrons are fundamental particles and so are the particles that the protons and neutrons are made of - quarks. These quarks, the other particles that can be made from them, and the rules that guide their behavior are what I study. The reason this is worth studying is that understanding the fundamental building blocks of our universe can help us to understand the fundamental rules that our universe follows. By understanding those rules, we can interact with our world in a more basic and direct way.

What made you go into this field of study?

Both of my parents got their bachelor's in mechanical engineering, so it seemed inevitable that I would go into some sort of science. When I was a middle school student, my mom started sending me links to some exciting developments that were happening in physics. These developments sounded as though they were straight out of a science fiction novel. It was then that I was sure I would go into science. Then, the summer between my third and fourth years of undergraduate study, I got accepted to do a REU at the University of Michigan studying particle physics with two professors who were affiliated with Fermilab – the particle accelerator facility in Batavia, Illinois. I spent fourteen weeks analyzing data for them and I absolutely loved it. 

What was your favorite part of the graduate school experience?

So far, I have most enjoyed the many opportunities to travel in my chosen field. In August of 2010, my advisor sent me to the 2010 SLAC Summer Institute, near Stanford. That was my first time in California and I had a blast. I got to meet a lot of other particle physics grad students from around the world. Also, in mid-July I will travel to Geneva, Switzerland to work for nine months with the ATLAS project at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

What are your long term goals/ aspirations?

It is my dream to work as a science advisor to government officials and offices. There is a dearth of scientists working in the legislative part of government, to the detriment of our public policy. For me, getting this advanced degree is what is allowing me to be eligible for the science advisor positions I want to pursue.

What accomplishment, academic or otherwise, are you most proud of?

This may sound a bit odd, but I am most proud of realizing that I needed to cast off the cultural conditioning that taught me that expressing the full range of human emotion and empathizing with others was something to be sneered at. Learning this has caused me to make some of the most measurable progress I've made in my life journey and has made me a more passionate and motivated person.

Describe your family life:

I currently live with my long-term partner, our dog, and our cat in a comfortable apartment in southern Louisville. I have a stepsister, a stepbrother, and am the oldest of three sisters.