Natalie Krupka

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Physics Major, Mathematics Minor
Class of 2020

Tell us about your current research.

My current research, "The Modulation of Laptop Vibrations," is a project that attempts to "sniff" typed keystrokes on a laptop. The setup is similar to a laser microphone, where a laser is used to collect frequencies of various vibrations while typing. I am planning on creating a python library that stores a vibration to each individual key, allowing me to compare collected data to known keystrokes. This would essentially allow me to determine what people are typing.

Why did you choose Scranton for your major?

After observing one of the intro to engineering projects on Preview Day, I knew The University of Scranton would be my choice. In this class, students work as a pair to code a robot in Python. To me, this was incredible and something I wanted to be a part of. The students had a very close relationship with their professors, something that isn't common at larger schools. After seeing the interaction between students and professors in the Physics and Electrical Engineering Department, I knew I wanted to be part of the "family." Studying physics at The University of Scranton exposed me to involved projects as a freshman and great relationships with my professors.

What do you like about your major specifically?

Scranton offers a lot of class choices as a physics major. For example, as a freshman, I had the opportunity to take a one-on-one class in rocket science and conduct rocket fuel research alongside that. As a sophomore, I had the opportunity to take astrophysics and computer engineering. Having various classes to choose from has allowed me to learn different things and help me choose my career path.

How has it prepared you for the real world?

Along with time management for classes and completing homework, research has been helping me prepare for my career. With research projects in my major, the work done is entirely up to you. A professor is there to help and offer advice for projects, but conducting, analyzing and concluding is something I have to do on my own. I am responsible for the work I put forward and the completion of my project, which has helped me prepare for future work.

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