Like many kids, Shaan Patel spent nights staring at the sky in awe, wondering what existed beyond the stars. That curiosity has never faded.
Now, he's turning it into a career, earning his Ph.D. in physics from The University of Texas at Arlington. Patel will walk across the graduation stage Friday morning at Globe Life Field, a defining moment for an out-of-state student who has become a standout example of what's possible at UT Arlington.
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During his four and a half years at UTA, Patel published four first-author peer-reviewed articles and coauthored two others, all focusing on the existence of exomoons. Through this research and his coursework, he developed in-demand skills—ranging from applying problem-solving methods in complex environments to computer coding—positioning him to pursue careers in data science, AI, consulting, and quantitative finance (among others).
Patel worked closely with esteemed faculty members, including Manfred Cuntz, who was named to the UTA Academy of Distinguished Teachers in 2020.
"Pursuing a graduate degree is tough because you're juggling classes, research and teaching assistant work," said Patel, who grew up in the Atlanta area. "But I loved my group and the environment here. The grad students get together for dinners and game nights, and the professors have been incredibly supportive. I've really enjoyed the experience at UTA."
Related: Baseball stats sparked his path to data science
Patel discussed his work, his time at UTA and what's next as he joins UTA's top-tier alumni community.
What would you tell people about UTA, especially as an R1 research institution?
