Bowdoin Physics Major Maria Perez Mendoza ’21

In high school, however, her focus shifted as she discovered the enjoyable challenges of science classes. After matriculating at Bowdoin, Perez enrolled in a curriculum of science and math while cultivating an interest for Hispanic Studies. In her sophomore year, she declared a double major in physics and Hispanic studies with a minor in math.

Perez admits that she’s had her fair share of challenges in physics; seemingly intuitive concepts can be quite difficult to grasp. However, she lauds the department’s efforts to create a sense of community. 

In particular, she notes how a whole class of students can often find themselves working on problem sets together. “I don’t see that a lot in other departments, and it’s something that I’m really proud of,” she said. Perez said one of her favorite physics lectures included a lesson on scattering—the process responsible for the sky's colors—which reinforced how much joy she has found connecting physical phenomenon to everyday life.

Last summer, Perez enveloped herself in physics while doing research under the guidance of Mark Battle, professor of physics. Her first research experience was joining his ongoing project aimed at measuring carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in Harvard Forest. “I’ve learned that a lot of research is behind the scenes," she said. "A lot of it is troubleshooting, logistics, figuring out what needs to be ordered—a lot of it is dirty work."

Looking to the future, Perez is excited for the prospects of using her research experience to complete an honors project or independent study in physics (and perhaps after Bowdoin, pursuing a PhD). She is also looking forward to experiencing physics in a different culture when studying abroad in Madrid where she will use her bilingual skills to study physics in Spanish!

“There’s a lot ahead of me,” she said.