From conducting fusion experiments and earning a PhD in physics from the Laboratory for Laser Energetics in 2021 to his current work supporting Major League Baseball’s Houston Astros using physics and engineering, alumnus JJ Ruby has embarked on a crackerjack career path. As senior director of research and development for the Astros, Ruby leads a staff of 17 software developers and research analysts to analyze data collected on players and conduct experiments in areas including aerodynamics and biomechanics—all with the purpose of giving his team that extra competitive edge. Ruby credits his advisors, Ryan Rygg and Gilbert (Rip) Collins, and his time at LLE for influencing his career: “Ryan and Rip gave me a lot of creative freedom during my PhD to approach problems that I found interesting,” says Ruby. “I did a really healthy variety of experiments, theory, data analysis, and computational work and it turns out that’s a very valuable mix of skills to develop that’s broadly applicable.”
Read more about Ruby’s work with the Astros in the full press release, available at the University of Rochester NewsCenter.
