Special WGMPA Physics Careers Alumni Panel on Oct. 3 by Illinois Physics Alumni Dr. Kathleen Oolman, Dr. Devyn Shafer, Dr. Pei-Wen Tsai, and Dr. Laura Wadleigh

A special WGMPA Physics Careers Alumni Panel will be held on Friday, October 3 with a group of Illinois Physics alumni panelists, including Dr. Kathleen Oolman from Sandia National Laboratory, Dr. Devyn Shafer from Columbus City Schools, Dr. Pei-Wen Tsai from TOPTICA Photonics,  and Dr. Laura Wadleigh from Atom Computing. The panel will start at 3:30 p.m. in 222/276 Loomis and will be followed by a dinner hosted by the Women and Gender Minorities in Physics and Astronomy (WGMPA) for panel participants and attendees in 204 Loomis (Interaction Room) at 5 pm. All are welcome! Details of the panel discussion are given below.

Time: 3:30 p.m. on Friday, October 3, 2025

Location: 222/276 Loomis. A Zoom link will also be forwarded to the Illinois Physics Grad Student email list. For a copy of the link, please contact Lance Cooper (slcooper@illinois.edu).

Title: WGMPA Physics Careers Alumni Panel

Speakers: Dr. Kathleen Oolman from Sandia National Laboratory, Dr. Devyn Shafer from Columbus City Schools, Dr. Pei-Wen Tsai from TOPTICA Photonics, and Dr. Laura Wadleigh from Atom Computing. 

Abstract: Earning a PhD doesn’t mean the challenges of being underrepresented in physics suddenly disappear. As early-career scientists transition beyond graduate school, they often face new obstacles, from the job search and adjusting to a new workplace, to navigating unconscious bias and systemic inequities. To explore these experiences, the Women & Gender Minorities in Physics Association is hosting an alumni career panel featuring three early-career scientists. Panelists will share their journeys after graduate school, offering insight into building careers in physics and related fields while continuing to navigate the complexities of equity and inclusion. 

Bios:

Dr. Kathleen Oolman, Gil Herrera Postdoctoral Fellow in Quantum Information Science, Sandia National Laboratory: Kathleen completed her PhD in Physics at UIUC in 2024 in the research group of Prof. Gina Lorenz, where she worked on projects in quantum integrated photonics developing THz-bandwidth heralded single-photon sources in semiconductor waveguides and quantum imaging of biomolecules. She is now the Gil Herrera Postdoctoral Fellow in Quantum Information Science at Sandia National Laboratory in New Mexico.

Dr. Devyn Shafer, Manager, Analytics & Data Management at Columbus City Schools: Devyn Shafer is a 2024 graduate of the UIUC Physics PhD Program with research in Physics Education under advisor Tim Stelzer. She is currently a Data Analyst with public school district Columbus City Schools and is a Fellow of the Strategic Data Project, a program of the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University. 

Dr. Pei-Wen Tsai, Laser Development Scientist, TOPTICA Photonics: Pei-Wen completed her PhD in Physics at UIUC in 2022 in the research group of Prof. Brian DeMarco, where she studied Rydberg-dressed 40K atoms in a three-dimensional optical lattice. She now works as a Physicist at TOPTICA Photonics in Pittsford, New York.

Dr. Laura Wadleigh, Quantum Engineer, Atom Computing: Laura completed her Ph.D in Physics at UIUC in 2023 in the lab of Professor DeMarco.  She studied many body localization with Rubidium atoms in an optical lattice.  She's currently a Quantum Engineer at Atom Computing in Boulder, CO, working on building neutral atom quantum computers.

The WGMPA officers organizing this event are:

• Emily Waite (Co-President/treasurer)
• Carina Baker (Co-President/special events coordinator)
• Hanna Aguirre (Coffee hour host)
• Katie Gifford  (Coffee hour host)
• Athira Vijayakumar (Special events coordinator)
• Danielle Woods (Craft Specialist)
• Amparo Figueroa (Craft Specialist)
• Jayana Saes (Craft Specialist)
• Carissa Skye (LGBTQ+ Liaison)
• Yueying Wu (Officer at large)
• Rebecca Chan (Officer at large)
• Jennifer Lopez (Officer at large)

You can see the rest of the Fall 2025 Physics Careers Seminar series here: https://physics.illinois.edu/calendar/careers-seminar