CV
Education
- Doctor of Philosophy, Michigan State University
- Computational Mathematics Science and Engineering and Physics & Astronomy (dual Ph.D.)
- August 2021 - present
- GPA - 3.95
- Advisor - Andrew Christlieb
- Thesis - High Order Numerical Methods for Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence
- Master of Science, University of Michigan
- Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering
- August 2016 – April 2018
- GPA - 3.60
- Bachelor of Science, Michigan State University
- Astrophysics
- August 2012 – May 2016
- GPA - 3.68
Publications
Professional Experience
- Optical Engineer II, North American Lighting
- August 2018 – August 2021
- Provided engineering, design, and development support for optical systems in exterior automotive lighting products
- Designed, simulated, and analyzed automotive lighting systems using CATIA-V5, LucidShape, and SPEOS
- Created, edited, and modified macros in VBA for CATIA, Excel, and PowerPoint
Research Experience
- Graduate Research Assistant, Michigan State University
- August 2021 – present
- Developed SPARTHA, an arbitrarily high-order weighted essentially non-oscillatory code for ideal MHD, built on PARTHENON and KOKKOS
- Quantified the impact of high-order methods on the numerical viscosity and resistivity in ideal MHD turbulence simulations using energy transfer analysis
- Increased the accuracy and reliability of numerical simulations of complex turbulent plasma systems
- Graduate Research Assistant, University of Michigan
- May 2016 – April 2018
- Detected spectroscopic signatures of magnetic reconnection in the solar corona using the CHIANTI Atomic Database
- Analyzed the adverse effects and potential contamination of scattered light on plasma diagnostics for the EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) instrument onboard Hinode
- Reduced and analyzed data from the EIS instrument using IDL
- Research Scientist, Solar Wind Sherpas
- August 2017
- Observed and collected narrow-band and spectrally resolved observations of the solar corona during the 2017 total solar eclipse
- Led the magnetometer experiment aimed to measure magnetic fluctuations due to changes in the ionospheric current during the eclipse
- Intern, Center for Astrophysics – Harvard & Smithsonian
- May 2015 – August 2015
- Interpreted the complex relationship between the transition region and upper coronal layers of the solar atmosphere
- Wrote and ran code in IDL to analyze data from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) onboard the Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO) and the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) satellites
- Undergraduate Research Assistant, Michigan State University
- May 2013 – May 2016
- Modeled the evolution of a white dwarf nova using IDL and Python
- Reduced and analyzed data from the Very Large Array (VLA) using the Astronomical Image Processing System (AIPS)
Teaching and Mentoring Experience
- Graduate Teaching Assistant, Michigan State University
- CMSE 201 (Introduction to Computational Modeling)
- 60 students per semester
- Guided students through flipped-classroom activities involving algorithmic thinking, dataset manipulation, model building, data visualization, and numerical method implementation
- Graded bi-weekly homework assignments and tutored students through office hours
- CMSE 201 (Introduction to Computational Modeling)
- ACRES Mentoring Chair, Michigan State University
- May 2023 – August 2023
- Created and delivered weekly professional workshops and social events for the Advanced Computational Research Experience (ACRES) students
- Lawrence Technological University, Adjunct Professor
- PHY 2213 (College Physics 1)
- 4 consecutive semesters, 20 students per semester
- Taught evening courses while concurrently fulfilling full-time duties as an Optical Engineer II
- Wrote and prepared lectures for undergraduate students, evaluated course material, constructed and graded individual homework assignments and exams
- Student Course Evaluations rated 4.6/5 for overall effectiveness of the course and performance as the instructor
- Rated 4.7/5 on Rate My Professors
- PHY 2213 (College Physics 1)
- Graduate Student Instructor, University of Michigan
- May 2017 – August 2017
- ASTRO 101 (Introductory Astronomy)
- 25 students per semester
- Responsibilities included leading laboratory sections, hosting observatory viewing nights, and holding office hours to tutor and support students
- Undergraduate Learning Assistant, Michigan State University
- August 2013 – May 2016
- PHY 183 (Physics for Scientists and Engineers)
- Spring 2016; 275 students per semester
- Provided student support through office hours, homework assistance, and exam proctoring
- AST 207 (The Science of Astronomy)
- Fall 2014; 130 students per semester
- Graded weekly homework assignments and exams, held office hours to tutor students on course material
- ISP 205 (Visions of the Universe)
- Fall 2013 – Spring 2016 (6 consecutive semesters), 150 students per semester
- Held office hours, tutored students on course material, supported classroom group activities, proctored exams, and hosted review sessions
Grants & Awards
Data Science Student Conference Outstanding Poster Award, Fall 2025
Member of Tau Beta Pi, Spring 2024 – present
Engineering Distinguished Scholar, Fall 2021
Michigan Geophysical Union Poster Award, Spring 2017
Michigan Space Grant Consortium Fellowship, Fall 2015
Outstanding Undergraduate Learning Assistant Award, Spring 2015
Lawrence W. Hantel Endowed Fellowship, Fall 2014
Lyman Briggs Undergraduate Research Assistant Award, Fall 2013 & Fall 2014
Dean’s Honor List, Lyman Briggs College, Fall 2012 – Fall 2014, Spring 2016
Member of National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Fall 2012 – Spring 2016
Skills
- Programming Languages
- Python (NumPy, SciPy, SymPy, Pandas, Matplotlib YT, h5py, Astropy)
- C++ (OpenMP, MPI, CUDA, KOKKOS)
- MATLAB
- VBA
- IDL
- LaTeX
- Software & Tools
- LaTeX
- Git
- Microsoft Office Suite
- CATIA
- LucidShape
- SPEOS
- ParaView
Presentations
- Wendeln, C., Christlieb, A., O’Shea, B., & Grete, P., High Order Numerical Methods for Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence
- Talk: American Physical Society Division of Plasma Physics (APS DPP); Long Beach, CA; November 17-21 2025
- Poster: International Conference on Numerical Simulation (ICNSP); Irvine, CA; November 12-14 2025
- Poster and Talk: Data Science Student Conference (DISC); East Lansing, MI; August 18-20 2025 (Outstanding Poster Award)
- Talk: International Conference on Spectral and High-Order Methods (ICOSAHOM); Montreal, Canada; July 13-18 2025
- Talk: Parthenon Developer Workshop; Ann Arbor, MI; June 16-20 2025
- Talk: Kyung Hee University; Seoul, South Korea; March 14, 2025
- Wendeln, C. & Landi, E., Detecting Spectroscopic Signatures of Magnetic Reconnection Along the Boundary of Coronal Holes
- Poster: American Geophysical Union (AGU); New Orleans, LA; December 11-15, 2017
- Poster: Solar Heliospheric & Interplanetary Environment (SHINE); Saint-Sauveur, Quebec, Canada; July 24-28, 2017
- Poster: Michigan Geophysical Union; University of Michigan; Ann Arbor, MI; April 7, 2017 (Outstanding Student Presentation Award)
- Wendeln, C., Tian, H., Madsen, C., Tracking Small-Scale Transition Region Jets Observed by IRIS to Coronal Structures
- Talk: Senior thesis, Michigan State University; East Lansing, MI; April 27, 2016
- Poster: First Joint Solar Probe Plus - Solar Orbiter Workshop; Florence, Italy; September 2-4, 2015
- Talk: Final presentation, Center for Astrophysics – Harvard & Smithsonian; Cambridge, MA; August 12, 2015
Wendeln, C., Chomiuk, L., Finzell, T., Linford, J. D., & Strader, J., A Radio Emission Analysis of Nova Puppis 1991 (V351 Pup)
- Poster: Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP – later renamed to the Conference for Women and Gender Minorities in Physics); Ohio State University; Columbus, OH; January 15-17, 2016
- Poster: University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF); Michigan State University; East Lansing, MI; April 10,2015
- Poster: CUWiP; University of Michigan; Ann Arbor, MI; January 16-18, 2015
- Poster: 225th American Astronomical Society (AAS); Seattle, WA; January 4-8, 2015
- Poster: Lyman Briggs College Research Symposium; Michigan State University; East Lansing, MI; April 22, 2014
- Poster: UURAF; Michigan State University; East Lansing, MI; April 4, 2014
- Poster: CUWiP; University of Chicago; Chicago, IL; January 16-19, 2014