Feature Stories 2023: Catching Up with Logan Cabral '22, '23

Logan Cabral, a member of UMass Dartmouth’s first Physics BS/MS cohort, says UMassD gave him every tool he needed to reach even the most ambitious goals. 

Last year, Logan completed his bachelor's degree in Physics. This May, he will graduate with his master’s degree as part of the first graduating class for UMassD’s accelerated Physics BS/MS program.   

Logan came to UMassD as a transfer student from Bristol Community College. As an undergraduate student, he took advantage of every opportunity to work alongside faculty and develop strong research skills.  During his final year at UMassD, Logan continued chasing high-caliber research opportunities and landed a spot in a PhD program at the University of Chicago.  

Relentless pursuit of success 

During his time at UMassD, Logan never shied away from hard work. He found that UMassD met his dedication with the resources and opportunities he needed to succeed, and he didn’t let any of those opportunities go to waste.  

Logan’s college journey began in 2015. He worked in construction and warehouse jobs to pay for his education while going to school part-time before he was awarded the ACCOMPLISH Scholarship. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the ACCOMPLISH program provides support for STEM-focused students engaged in computation-themed research.  Logan says this scholarship funding allowed him to devote more time to taking classes, conducting research, and building skills for his future career.      

Research 

Logan has done research in many different areas, from outer space to the depths of the ocean.  

He completed an internship at Cornell University’s Department of Astrophysics and Planetary Science where he was the lead author on a project titled “Constraining Hazards for Future Lander Missions to Europa: Perspectives from the Earth.” This project explored how hazards scale on icy areas of the Earth that share physical processes with surface terrain on Europa, which is thought to be one of the most likely places in our solar system suitable to sustaining life beyond Earth.  

He was also selected for an internship at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in the spring of 2022, and an internship at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington D.C. to do research in solar astrophysics that summer. At the conclusion of this experience, he co-authored a paper published in the Astrophysical Journal.  

Most recently, Logan began a research assistantship with Dr. Miles Sundermeyer at SMAST using numerical models to simulate submarine wakes and generate information that can be used in naval applications.  

Tell us about the 4+1 accelerated master’s program. What is the value in doing a 4+1? 

“In addition to saving time and money toward a master’s degree, the 4+1 BS/MS program really strengthened my application for PhD programs.”  

What’s next for you? 

“I will be entering a PhD program at the University of Chicago to study exoplanets within the habitable zone orbiting M-type stars in the search for life beyond Earth.”  

How did your UMassD experience prepare you for your future plans? 

“UMassD prepared me even more than I expected. I was able to pursue undergraduate research and multiple internships at some of the best institutions. I gained marketable skills like coding and data analysis. With the help of the faculty, and by taking advantage of the resources available, my experience at UMass Dartmouth set me up to do whatever I wanted.”   

What has been the biggest change you’ve seen in yourself since the beginning of your college journey? 

“More confidence, and more independence academically. My research experiences and internships helped me develop the skills and confidence I needed to start doing research on my own.”  

What advice would you give to future students? 

“For anyone interested in engineering and physics, I would say to get into research as soon as possible. And, I would recommend the 4+1 program.”

"With the help of the faculty, and by taking advantage of the resources available, my experience at UMass Dartmouth set me up to do whatever I wanted.”