SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) student Seth Walther presented at the American Physical Society (APS) Global Physics Summit on March 17, 2025, in Anaheim, California. His presentation highlighted research findings in astrophysics from a collaborative project with Dr. Shing Chi Leung, Assistant Professor of Physics at SUNY Poly.

The APS Global Physics Summit—formed by the merger of the former APS March and April Meetings—is a five-day academic conference covering all areas of physics, from particle physics to cosmology. Thousands of researchers and students from around the world attend the summit each year to present their work. The event also features career fairs and panels designed to engage and support early-career scientists.

Seth’s project focuses on the interaction between white dwarf stars and primordial black holes—hypothetical remnants from the early universe, thought to result from quantum fluctuations shortly after the Big Bang. These black holes are among the leading candidates for dark matter, one of the universe’s most mysterious and least understood components. Despite their extremely small size (smaller than a centimeter), primordial black holes could produce detectable effects when passing through stars. In particular, prior research suggests they might trigger white dwarf explosions, resulting in Type Ia supernovae.

Building on work he began in SUNY Poly’s Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP), Seth conducted multi-dimensional hydrodynamics simulations to model how a white dwarf responds when a primordial black hole falls into it. He examined changes in the star’s density and temperature during the event and analyzed the hydrodynamic instabilities that arise from the passage. Based on the simulations, Seth determined the conditions under which such black holes could induce stellar explosions, identifying key mass ranges for both the black holes and white dwarfs.

Reflecting on the experience, Seth said, “This experience has been a significant milestone in shaping my future academic and professional pursuits. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work under the mentorship of Dr. Leung. Conducting undergraduate research and having the privilege to present it to the international physics community has given me greater confidence in my presentation abilities and introduced me to physics concepts far beyond the classroom. The APS Meeting was a true eye-opener, revealing just how vast and dynamic the world of academia really is. I’m excited to continue our efforts in research throughout this year. While many find physics challenging, I hope others, like me, can come to see just how fun and rewarding it can be.”

Dr. Leung also expressed pride in Seth’s accomplishments: “I am thrilled to see Seth present our project at this international event. He is our second undergraduate student to present at the APS Meeting, following Mr. Anthony DeVasto last year. Seth serves as a model for how our students can conduct research that meets the standards recognized by the broader scientific community. I hope his success inspires more students to pursue physics and engage in research as part of their academic journey at SUNY Poly.”

Seth and Dr. Leung plan to continue their research through the summer, with the goal of publishing their findings in a peer-reviewed journal.

Dr. Leung acknowledges support from the National Science Foundation under Grant No. AST-2316807.