The ampersand in the middle of our College’s name symbolizes the rich space of possibility that awaits students at F&M. Meaning “both/and,” the ampersand is the purpose—and the power—of the liberal arts: recognizing and forming connections between things that at first glance don’t seem to go together.

A love of science fiction inspired Haunah Thomas ’27 to choose a college where she could get hands-on research experience in astrophysics while still pursuing her creative passions.

Thomas was looking for a small school where she could dedicate herself to both science and creative writing. She found that in Franklin & Marshall and is now a double major in astrophysics and English on the creative writing track. 

“I’ve always been a voracious reader,” Thomas said. “I discovered sci-fi as a genre, so I thought ‘Maybe I can write sci-fi.’ And then I realized I can actually do science, too.”

While the two fields may seem worlds apart, Thomas has found they complement each other in unexpected ways. 

Reading her astrophysics textbook regularly sparks story ideas. “I’ll come across a cool fact, and I’ll want to use it in a story somehow,” Thomas said. At the same time, having a way with words helps her discuss scientific concepts with her classmates. “I have that strong English foundation to come up with creative ways to explain things clearly.”

A rising junior, Thomas is still considering the career path she’ll pursue after F&M, but is confident that her double major will open the door to a wide variety of pathways that will allow her to incorporate both science and creative writing.

“I’ll have a science degree, so I can get a science job to support myself while I’m writing. I could also go into science communication,” Thomas said. 

The hands-on learning opportunities available to F&M students have provided Thomas with experiences that will serve her well in any career. She got her first glimpse into the world of scientific research-–and into the far reaches of space—this past spring and summer. 

"It's been exciting to see what science actually looks like. Not just in textbooks and manufactured labs, where there's a result you're supposed to get. It's exciting to see that we don't know exactly what the data is going to reveal."

-Haunah Thomas '27

Thomas has been working with Fronefield Crawford, Charles A. Dana Professor of Physics and Astronomy and Director of Grundy Observatory, to conduct research into pulsars and protoplanetary nebulae. 

Using data from radio telescopes, Thomas has been working to identify pulsars—dense, star-like objects that are left in the aftermath of the death of a massive star—and to estimate the molecular composition of protoplanetary nebulae.

This summer, her research took her across the globe to collaborate with students at Kumamoto University in Japan. Along with other F&M students, Thomas traveled to the university to give presentations about her research and to work with additional radio telescope data.

“I focused on a set of observations of the Andromeda galaxy, hoping to find an extragalactic pulsar,” Thomas said. 

The chance to work on ongoing research projects has helped Thomas better understand what a career in science might involve.

“It’s been exciting to see what science actually looks like,” Thomas said. “Not just in textbooks and manufactured labs, where there’s a result you’re supposed to get. It’s exciting to see that we don’t know exactly what the data is going to reveal.”