Name: Micah Chase Goulart
Age: 21
Hometown: Dalton
High school: Dalton High School
Major: Physics
Expected graduation date: December 2016
Why did you choose Dalton State? I chose Dalton State because it is close to my family and it is very affordable.
What do you plan to do after graduation? After graduation, I will attend either Georgia Tech or Emory University to pursue my bachelor’s in physics and astronomy. After that, I plan on going straight into a doctoral program to pursue a degree in astrophysics.
Who is/was your favorite professor and why? While almost all of the professors I have had have been wonderful, Dr. Samantha Blair has definitely been the driving force behind my success. Dr. Blair consistently goes out of her way to help her students understand physics/astronomy. She has provided me with extremely influential opportunities that have set me on the right path towards being a successful astrophysicist. I half-jokingly refer to her as my “physics mom.”
What are some of your biggest achievements o
r accomplishments at Dalton State? Through a lot of hard work and determination, I won the David Wycherley Physics Award. Perhaps my greatest achievement is the experience I’ve gained and the connections I’ve made whilst doing research with Dr. Blair.
What are some of your favorite activities in and around Dalton? I really enjoy taking my dog, Hershey, for a walk with my girlfriend on the Dalton State nature trails.
Where is your favorite study spot? The math lab is where I am most likely to be found on campus. I’m almost always in there either studying or tutoring!
What is the last book you read? “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman” by Richard Feynman
If you had a theme song, what would it be? “Imperial March” by John Williams
Favorite line from a movie? “You're an interesting species. An interesting mix. You're capable of such beautiful dreams, and such horrible nightmares. You feel so lost, so cut off, so alone, only you're not. See, in all our searching, the only thing we've found that makes the emptiness bearable, is each other.” - Contact
What do you feel most proud of? I’m very proud of the intellectual growth I’ve experienced at Dalton State. This growth has allowed me to develop as a tutor and as a student to make the college experience better for me and my peers.
If you won the lottery, what would you do? Donate most of it to students that are interested in studying the natural sciences that might not have the opportunity otherwise. I’d also probably go to school for the rest of my life.
What is a skill you’d like to learn and why? I’d like to become fluent in a mathematical concept known as Fourier transform as well as learning a few coding languages. Fourier transforms would help with understanding upper-level physics, and learning coding languages would assist me in doing real science as well as getting accepted into a summer REU program
.
What is your favorite book? “The Demon-Haunted World: Science As A Candle In The Dark” by Carl Sagan
Who is your hero? That would definitely have to be the late astronomer Dr. Carl Sagan. Dr. Sagan, through his tremendous ability to convey scientific principles to the lay person in a beautiful and poetic manner, changed my life by teaching me what it means to be a scientist. He also imparted the cosmic perspective upon me which plays an integral part in everything I do.
If you could go back in history, whom would you like to meet? Either Dr. Carl Sagan or Galileo Galilei
Where is your favorite place to eat? Kumo off Cleveland Hwy.
What does it mean to you to be part of the Roadrunner Nation? Dalton State is the place that I discovered my dreams after years of searching. For this reason, and many more, Dalton State is and forever will be a part of who I am as a person and as a scientist. Dalton State has also been the place where I’ve met many of my closest friends.