My name is Justin Riggs (he/him/his), and I am a third-year PhD student in the Physics and Astronomy Program. I am originally from Wheeling, West Virginia, and obtained my Bachelor of Science in Physics from West Virginia University in 2024, where I focused my studies on space plasma, applied mathematics, and secondary STEM education. My research focus here at Iowa is utilizing spacecraft observations of collisionless shock boundaries to better understand how particles get accelerated in our heliosphere. In my (limited) free time, I love to play soccer and basketball, cook new recipes, and throw parties with outlandish themes for my friends.  

Currently, for the Physics and Astronomy department, I serve as one of the graduate student senators for GSS, as a member of the graduate student advisory committee (GSAC), and as a mentor in both our department’s GradMAP program and in the Graduate College’s Peer2Peer program. I am excited to spend my time on GPSG improving student life here in Iowa City and working with professional students on shared goals.