Every Student Has a Story: Jaime Cochran '25

Jaime Cochran '25 has an artistic eye for light, but her true passion - and her life's work - is searching in the dark.

Cochran had a daily 30-minute drive up a South Dakota mountain to reach her summer internship (the site was actually perched on Summit Street). But that was only half of her commute. Next, she slipped into her personal protective equipment (above, in her PPE), and rode an "elevator" (they called it the cage for a reason) one mile down to the Sanford Underground Research Facility. Below the earth's surface, where they were shielded from the cosmic radiation persistently bombarding the planet, Cochran hiked one mile due west to her lab, hosed down her boots, and switched into new PPE. It was only then that she could unpause her work - searching for mysterious particles that hold the answers to some of the most profound mysteries in the universe.

"I was just a tiny part of this humongous team that makes up the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment. We analyzed machine parts from dark matter detectors around the world, including the IceCUBE experiment in Antarctica! That summer I realized, 'Wow, particle physics is what I could do for the rest of my life.'"

The applied physics major has been captivated by the hunt. Dark matter is a form of matter that doesn't interact with light. Its existence is implied by gravitational effects that can't be explained by general relativity. Perhaps the answers lie in an unquantified particle? The LUX-ZEPLIN experiment, which is designed to answer that question, is considered a "rare event search." The physicists involved are seeking a "spark" - a breakthrough in dark matter understanding that will shine a light on perhaps the universe's biggest missing piece. Cochran's pursuit will hopefully take her to the Netherlands.

Cochran recently applied for a Fulbright Study/Research (S/R) grant that would fund a master's degree in particle and astrophysics at Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands.

"It's a small group of just eight faculty with a strong particle and astrophysics program. Plus, it's geographically accessible to some of the largest labs in the world studying dark matter. Also, the Netherlands, as a country, is focused on sustainability. The hunt for dark matter is currently unsustainable because of the energy it requires, so I want to consider more environmentally friendly ways to continue this work."

S/R grants are incredibly competitive, awarded to fewer than one in five applicants. The committee emphasizes cultural exchange and prefers candidates with interests beyond their field of study. That benefits Cochran. She's a theatre light designer by trade.

"I bring physics into all of my lighting design work. The summer after my freshman year, I designed the original Siena play, Tell Me That You'll Not Forget Me, which explores the Black experience in Albany in the late 19th century. Since traditional lighting for theatre was designed for white actors, I analyzed the way different hues interact with skin tones to give every actor the spotlight."

Cochran won an award of excellence for the Kennedy Center American College Theater National Festival last year for her innovation in lighting, which is ironic now that she's laser focused on the darkness. There's no guarantee she'll find what she's looking for, but that's okay.

"I believe in the next two to three decades we could have this concept as completely nailed down, as a quantity, as the speed of light. But even if we never get there in my lifetime, I'll get to pursue these mysteries my entire career as a scientist. It's an honor to explore what lies beyond us, no matter what we find."

Cochran is one of seven Saints who recently submitted Fulbright grant applications. Wish them all luck!

• Evan Austria '25 applied for a Study/Research (S/R) grant for a graduate diploma in Austria
• Simon Meisel '24 applied for an S/R grant for a master's degree in playwriting and screenwriting in the United Kingdom
• Eliana Orlic '25 applied for an English Teaching Assistant (ETA) grant to Malta
• Marco Psyllos '25 applied for an S/R grant for a master's degree in educational planning, economics and international development in the United Kingdom
• Krista Rivers '25 applied for an S/R grant for a master's degree in creative writing in the United Kingdom
• Stephanie Somers '23 applied for an ETA grant to Italy

Fifteen Saints (dating back to 1959!) have earned Fulbright scholarships.