My name is Dalton Pedersen, I am in the end of my junior year at UCF. I am majoring in Physics (Astronomy track), with a minor in Mathematics. I graduated from high school at Mainland High School in Daytona Beach. I attended Daytona State College (DSC) before transferring to UCF. One of my favorite classes so far has been Quantum Mechanics, I love the way that the postulates of quantum mechanics challenge everything previously believed to hold true in physics. I love learning about astronomy and astrophysical processes, thinking about the vastness of the universe is a great way to get some perspective and de-stress. 

I decided to get involved with the STEM Ambassador Program out of my love for learning, teaching, STEM, and especially math and physics. I was a supplemental instructor of mathematics at DSC before transferring to UCF. In this role I got to interact directly with students, tackling the challenges they encountered with math, and helping them to view math and science in a more positive light. Not only is teaching others one of the most effective ways I’ve found to learn, but it is also incredibly rewarding and powerful to inspire those who might otherwise shy away from STEM. I hope to be able to inspire others to steer towards and not away from stem. I want all students of STEM to know that they can succeed. We all learn and grow differently, and each one of us holds certain strengths and weaknesses. Don’t let a lack of knowledge hold you back or discourage you, instead take it as an opportunity to learn. I believe that to succeed in STEM you must learn to love learning. 

Away from school I find myself continuing to read and teach myself from books on many areas of physics and astronomy. I love to cook, hike, spend time with my pets (dog, snake, bearded dragon), fish, and garden.