Charles Gibson ’25 says he chose Allegheny College because it allowed him to pursue his unusual combination— physics and music performance.
“My involvement with music has helped me to develop creative thinking within physics and other areas of my life, and I have also been able to apply the analytical aspect of physics to my music to help me play more technically and understand the theory much better,” says Gibson, who majors in physics with minors in music performance and astronomy. “Because of the interdisciplinary approach, I have been exposed to several lenses through which I can view content, which makes learning new things in different ways more accessible to me.”
In 2023, Gibson received the Illinois Space Grant through the Northwestern University Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics. The grant allowed him to model collisions of stars and their composition once they experience disruption with black holes.
Hans Vanderzyden ’25 & Charlie Gibson ’25
Gibson is the first author of a related research paper that was recently accepted into the premiere physics journal, The Astrophysical Journal. He collaborated with:
- Hans Vanderzyden ’25
- Jamie Lombardi, Professor of Physics
- Researchers from
- Northwestern University
- California Institute of Technology
- University of California, Santa Cruz
- Carnegie Observatory
Gibson credits Lombardi for helping him pursue research opportunities every step of his academic career.
“The education that I have gotten (at Allegheny) has fully prepared me to get involved with research throughout my time here,” says Gibson. “This includes my published work as well as a three-year independent study with Dr. Lombardi, Senior Comp, and other summer research experience at Caltech through the LIGO SURF program during the summer of 2024.”
Outside of the classroom, Gibson continues to pursue leadership opportunities on campus with the Astronomy Club and Newman Catholic Campus Ministry. He is also an active member of the Society of Physics Students and Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) fraternity.
Gibson reflects, “The small school environment and my close interactions with my professors have helped me to develop as a person. At a small school, I have been able to get deeply involved early on during my time here.”
After graduation, he aspires to pursue a Ph.D. in astrophysics.
Explore research and opportunities with the Department of Physics.
