Renee Spiewak, international traveler, physics star

As a home-schooled, first-generation college student, Renee Spiewak excelled at UWM by working side by side with professors on undergraduate research. National Science Foundation funding took her to Italy and Australia where she built connections with international scientists.

“What I love is that astrophysics is a very global community because it has to be,” Spiewak said. “The night sky is breathtaking. I have never lost that sense of wonder at how beautiful the sky is.”

Back on campus, Spiewak is a regular at the weekly Center for Gravitation, Cosmology and Astrophysics Tea, sharing physics small talk and laughing with faculty and post-doctoral students. Her post-graduation plan is to continue researching pulsars.

Spiewak was one of three graduates honored during UWM’s December 2015 commencement ceremony at which more than 2,300 students received diplomas. Combined with those who graduated in May, the total number of degrees awarded to the class of 2015 exceeds 4,800.

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