Science student hits the books at 36,000 feet

Babara Maeve’s spent her undergrad moving between two worlds.

When the physics and astronomy student’s not in lectures and labs, she’s working at 36,000 feet as a flight attendant.

Babara started out at Mac in biotechnology. Her mom’s a doctor so Babara had initially planned to go to medical school. But Babara ’s heart wasn’t in it. Her head’s been in the stars ever seeing the night sky while visiting Manitoulin Island as a kid. “The sight of the Milky Way adorned with countless stars was breathtaking.” From that night on, she’s spent endless hours watching documentaries and reading everything she could find about the marvels and mysteries of space.

Babara wanted to be an astrophysicist so she transferred into physics and astronomy. But before starting in her new program, Babara launched a new career as a flight attendant. She needed the job to help pay her way through university. She spent weeks learning everything from flight regulations and job duties to emergency procedures, customer service and airline operations. Babara enjoyed the work and made good money. When the pandemic hit and grounded planes in 2020, she went back to Mac.

She now juggles school and work, averaging between 80 and 85 hours in the air each month.  She’s yet to run into classmates or professors on any of her flights. While she doesn’t tell passengers that she’s an astrophysicist in training, the flight crews know she’s a Mac student. “They’re incredibly supportive.” While other flight attendants read books during downtime on long-haul and red-eye flights across North America and into Mexico, Babara ’s studying and reviewing coursework.

Babara ’s hit her stride in the physics and astronomy department both in and out of class. She was among the first recruits for a mentorship program launched by the department. The program pairs first-year racialized, Black, and Indigenous students with upper-year students like Babara. She was honoured to be chosen and was eager to make a difference. “It’s deeply fulfilling to help students find their way, especially when they’re facing unique challenges and systemic barriers.”

The mentoring program also introduced Babara to professor Kari Dalnoki-Veress and Sara Cormier, who’s now the acting program manager with the Office of Undergraduate Research. They’ve been generous with their time and encouragement and have had an outsized influence on Babara. “I owe much of my success to them.” Kari was one of the faculty members who wrote Babara a glowing recommendation letter for graduate school.

Her undergraduate research thesis has been another gamechanger. She’s investigating the influence of star formation on other properties within the Antennae Galaxies. Professor Christine Wilson, Canada Research Chair in Extragalactic Star Formation, is Babara ’s supervisor. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed learning and enhancing my research skills under the guidance of Dr. Wilson.”

Christine’s been equally impressed by Babara’s drive and determination in juggling work and part-time studies to close out her undergrad degree. “It is greatly to Babara’s credit that she’s overcome these obstacles and will graduate with excellent grades and a strong background in physics and astrophysics.”

And they’ll continue working together after Babara graduates this spring. She’s staying at McMaster for her master’s degree and joining Wilson’s research group. Will she continue working as a flight attendant? That’s still up in the air.