Jillian has a PhD in Astronomy from the University of Washington, and is currently an assistant professor at Queensborough Community College. Jillian studies the formation and evolution of massive black holes using cosmological hydrodynamic simulations. She is interested in hoJillian8w they form in the early universe, how they grow to become the behemoths we see today, and whether or not we can find them in dwarf galaxies. She is involved in BridgeUp:STEM, and serves on the Committee for the Status of Minorities in Astronomy. Jillian served in the U.S. Peace Corps and lived in The Gambia, West Africa, for two years, where she taught college physics and had many adventures. In her free time she enjoys knitting socks and playing roller derby.