News

By Davis Chen

Amidst the myriad experiences that define a graduate student’s academic journey, William Ortolá’s path weaves a narrative of resilience, curiosity, and a commitment to unraveling the cosmic mysteries that have captivated him since adolescence. Born in Valencia, Spain, William’s fascination with physics ignited during a Spanish class biography of Albert Einstein. This combined with his early love for mathematics and exploring the intricacies of the universe to set the stage for a lifelong commitment to learning.

William’s family would transition from his small hometown to the bustling city of Miami, where he would eventually obtain dual citizenship. Enrolling at the Honors College at Miami Dade College, he delved into space and weather physics, analyzing the concentration of ions in the atmosphere. Due to limited class options, he would later transfer to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he expanded his expertise, majoring not only in physics but also in mathematics. While at UW-Madison, William explored the interstellar medium, investigating how light from galaxies is affected as it traverses space.

The proximity to family and the desire for warmer weather brought him back to Florida for graduate school, where he now works for Zachary Slepian, an assistant professor in the astronomy department. His research involves the theoretical modeling and implementation of the four-point correlation function, a statistical tool to examine the distribution of galaxies and infer cosmological parameters such as the matter density and dark energy density. The computational aspect of his work is poised to pave the way for groundbreaking insights into dark energy studies.

However, William’s narrative extends beyond the academic realm. He met his partner, Melissa Veliz, over nine years ago in high school. During his first semester in graduate school, the pair welcomed the arrival of their son, Damian — a “gift from the universe.” While it’s not uncommon for a graduate student to be married, being a parent and a graduate student is relatively uncommon, bringing its own distinctive set of challenges. Juggling the responsibilities of fatherhood and academia requires excellent time management skills. In between taking classes, teaching, and studying for exams, William took on work as a manager for his dad’s plumbing business, Leonard Air Plumbing, while also managing the parental tasks of preparing meals, changing diapers, and spending time with his son.

In addition, many graduate student families can struggle with financial problems. Usually, when encountering these challenges, unions like Graduate Student United (GAU) and departmental support can be a source of respite. Recently, the GAU has bargained for up to eight weeks of paid family leave to help aid graduate students with families. In William’s case, working at his dad’s company, as well as securing both the Templeton Theory-Experiment Cross Training and NSF Graduate Research Fellowships has ensured financial stability.

Despite the complexities of his schedule, William’s commitment to his studies remains unwavering. “Even with a baby, you have to make sure you have time for everything. The baby helps you learn time management and makes you concentrate on what is important to keep on fighting.” His ability to maintain a tight schedule and find motivation serves as an inspiration for all graduate students.
 
Return to the Fall 2023 newsletter.