Junior Halle Hatten grew up in Boise, Idaho, a place she describes as beautiful and serene. Surrounded by the Boise Mountains, Hatten spent her childhood camping, hiking and sailing.
“Idaho is an underrated state,” Hatten said. “I just love the outdoors so much.”
After 14 years in Catholic school, Hatten was ready for a change. She only applied to colleges located on the East Coast, and Colgate University stood out to her for its landscape and the chance to work closely with professors.
Though Hatten once imagined becoming a doctor like her grandparents, she was ultimately drawn to physics. Her father, an engineer, served as an early role model of what a career in science could look like. The summer before her first year at Colgate University, she interned at his company’s product development lab. There she worked with undergraduate students on computer-aided design, metalworking and 3D printing.
“That experience made me realize I liked the hands-on side of science,” she said.
Her decision to concentrate on astrophysics was built on years of curiosity. Using a telescope in her backyard, she memorized constellations and developed a fascination with the sky. The Pleiades cluster remains one of her favorites. She also grew up reading popular science books and magazines inspired by the excitement of discovery. Hatten’s academic interests reflect much of her early exposure to science. Hatten reflected on her most memorable Colgate course which was “Electronics.”
“It reminded me of the work I did after high school, building circuits and soldering metals,” Hatten said. “We even built a guitar amp on a circuit board. It felt like we were making something important.”
In addition to her major, she is pursuing a minor in geography. A standout class for her was “The Geography of Happiness,” which introduced her to global cultural perspectives while incorporating outdoor activities like snowshoeing and stargazing.
“I like the general knowledge geography gives me,” Hatten said. “It helps me be proactive about doing things that make me happy.”
Beyond the classroom, Hatten has been an active member of the Colgate community. Since her first year, she has played on the club rugby team, enjoying the team’s energy and camaraderie. She also serves as a CLTR tutor, supporting students in introductory physics courses. Her most significant involvement, however, has been with the Ho Tung Visualization Laboratory. Almost every Friday night, she leads sky talks for Colgate students and local community members.
“We put up constellations, talk about changes in the sky and explore different space topics,” Hatten explained. “The shows change each month, so there’s always something new.”
Past programs have included “The Dark Universe,” an immersive exploration of dark matter, as well as themed shows like a Christmas special and a Valentine’s Day Pink Floyd feature. For Hatten, these presentations are less about business and more for personal enjoyment.
School tours at the visualization lab and geology museum allow Hatten to share her love of science with children. She shared knowledge about fossils and meteorites, runs scavenger hunts and hands out rocks like pumice. Occasionally, she slips in a joke.
“One of my favorites is giving kids fossilized turtle poop,” she admitted. “They think it’s hilarious.”
Her outreach also extends to Colgate’s observatory, where she has participated in projects analyzing images of black holes.
“One summer I spent nine hours a day staring at black hole data,” she said. “This is all play for me; I’d volunteer for it because it’s what I love.”
Halle credits Colgate’s Physics Department for giving her opportunities to explore her interests, from tutoring to research to community programming. She is especially excited about current efforts to reduce light pollution on campus.
“The clearer the skies, the more we can share with people,” she said.
Whether she is tutoring, leading a sky talk or making liquid nitrogen ice cream for a science demonstration, Hatten finds fulfillment in connecting people to discovery. For Hatten, astrophysics is more than equations or data. It is about wonder, happiness and community, connecting her Idaho upbringing to her Colgate experience.
