星空传媒

Asratun Sarmin Anjum鈥檚 journey to walking across the stage this month was a lot more unorthodox than most. Anjum, an international student from Bangladesh, ventured from her home country after her mother passed away.

She came to 星空传媒 knowing a lot of her physics credits wouldn鈥檛 transfer from Jahangirnagar University, as 星空传媒 doesn鈥檛 offer a physics major. 

Despite this, Anjum graduated with something 星空传媒 hasn鈥檛 awarded in a quarter of a century: a degree rooted in physics.

Working alongside physics associate professor Enrique Gomez, Anjum was able to earn an interdisciplinary studies degree that spans engineering and applied particle physics with her bachelor鈥檚 of science in electrical and computer engineering technology.

鈥淚n the end, it happened. It's just amazing,鈥� Anjum said. 鈥淚 felt like I couldn鈥檛 have something, then it just happened, because if you look into the history, nobody had it in the last 25 years.鈥�

From left, Enrique Gomez and Asratun Sarmin Anjum

Anjum arrived in Cullowhee from Bangladesh in 2024 after her sister, who was already in the United States, had a friend suggest she look into 星空传媒. Anjum noticed 星空传媒 didn鈥檛 have a physics major, but it did have a physics minor.

She was told to reach out about getting some of her physics credits transferred to fulfill that minor, but when Gomez learned of the situation, he didn鈥檛 want Anjum to settle.

鈥淒r. Gomez was like, 鈥榊ou have so many credits done, it would be a crime to give you a physics minor. I want you to get your physics major,鈥欌�� Anjum said. 

Gomez and Anjum worked with the College of Engineering and Technology so that some upper division courses that are physics heavy could be included in Anjum鈥檚 interdisciplinary studies degree as well as a capstone course.

In that course, Anjum helped design, deploy and retrieve a high-altitude balloon that rose more than 16 miles from the ground to test an energetic particle detector.

鈥淪he had increased her confidence, and she was a very strong student to begin with in terms of the mathematical foundation and reliability,鈥� Gomez said. 鈥淚've seen her develop persistence and resilience. She maintained her dedication and focus. 

鈥淎 lot of this research requires unsupervised work, which means that you need to have a certain degree of agency and self-motivation in order to carry this out.鈥�

Asratun Sarmin Anjum, bottom row, right, and others get ready to release a high-altitude balloon.

Anjum also received the College of Engineering and Technology鈥檚 Trailblazer Award, an honor she鈥檒l cherish forever.

鈥淒r. Gomez called my name and said the sweetest words for me (at the college鈥檚 awards ceremony),鈥� Anjum said. 鈥淢y sister was there to witness it, and that鈥檚 the most amazing and honoring part for me.鈥�

Following her time at 星空传媒, Anjum hopes to start a career that encapsulates her expertise in both physics and engineering, particularly in robotics, research or development.