When Dr. Catherine Lovekin began studying physics as an undergraduate student, she didn't know that her career would centre on the hidden interiors of stars. An early research opportunity changed that trajectory.

“It was almost accidental. I was an undergraduate at McMaster in anthropology. Partway through my second year I realized how much I missed math, so I began to switch into physics. I took an introductory astronomy course, and I was absolutely hooked. At that point, I decided that I was going to specialize in astrophysics.”

She continued down that path in graduate school, eventually specializing in asteroseismology.

Now a professor in the Department of Physics, Lovekin continues to focus her research on stellar astrophysics and the interior of stars. She also serves on the Researcher Council of the Digital Research Alliance of Canada, which oversees national digital research infrastructure, including Canada’s supercomputing systems.

“I study the interiors of stars. I’m trying to understand how convection behaves in the deep interior of stars based on what we can observe happening at the surface of stars.”

Most of her work is computational. Lovekin uses publicly available tools and runs sophisticated simulation codes, testing how changes deep within a star affect what astronomers observe from earth.

“I use a number of simulation codes, both run locally and on the national systems run by the Digital Research Alliance of Canada. I also depend on observational data from satellite missions like TESS to provide constraints on my models.”

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is a NASA space telescope designed to discover thousands of exoplanets orbiting the brightest, closest stars in the sky.

Lovekin says that understanding stellar interiors has implications across astronomy. Because stars are the primary sites where elements are formed in the universe, understanding how they work is fundamental to understanding where everything — including the elements that make up planets and life — originates.

Lovekin works with colleagues at the Université de Moncton and with research partners in nationally and internationally. These collaborations help keep her research connected to national and international conversations in astronomy.

Students play an important role in her research program. Each summer, she mentors three to four undergraduate researchers who take on meaningful responsibilities, such as running models, analyzing outputs, and conducting comparisons with observational data. Whenever possible, she supports students in co-authoring publications, giving them early experience in scholarly communication and collaborative discovery. For many, it is their first immersion in authentic research, and several have gone on to pursue graduate studies in astronomy and related fields.

While astronomy may not always yield immediate practical applications, Lovekin recognizes its broader value. The field captures the imagination and curiosity of students.

“I like to call it the gateway science — you can easily get people hooked on astronomy (and dinosaurs!), and while they won't all end up as astronomers, it will hopefully get them interested in many other areas of science as well.”

Through research, mentorship, and national leadership in digital infrastructure, Lovekin is listening to the stars while helping to shape the future of research in Canada.