UNF student earns research honor after work in astrophysics locally and abroad

A childhood fascination sparked by a science documentary set Valentina Bonilla Villalobos on a journey that now has the University of North Florida junior exploring the origins of stars and their evolution.

Today, the standout student, who is majoring in physics, is thriving in her classes and clubs. But research is where she's really stood out, so much so that she was named the December 2025 "Undergraduate Researcher of the Month" by UNF's Office of Undergraduate Research.

Her research centers on astrophysics, with a particular emphasis on star formation and evolution. Throughout her time at UNF, Bonilla Villalobos has contributed to faculty-led research projects, presented at national and campus events, and taken on leadership roles that reflect her commitment to both science and community.

Discovering Her True Passion, Choosing UNF and Campus Activities

Born in Venezuela, her family moved to Bogotá, Colombia when she was nine. Growing up, she recalls being captivated by science-related documentaries. It was a Netflix documentary about black holes that caught her attention, making the topic her new "hyperfixation."

By high school, Bonilla Villalobos was already applying her curiosity to academics, completing a mathematics project on how to calculate the escape velocity of a black hole. Though she briefly considered law school - even earning a scholarship to study law at Universidad del Rosario in Colombia - she ultimately chose to follow her heart and study astrophysics in the U.S.

Her decision led her to enroll at UNF in 2023.

Bonilla Villalobos credits the Honors Living Learning Community (LLC) with easing her transition to life in Jacksonville.

"Honors was a lifesaver," she recalled. "Being in the Honors LLC, I got to make friends and living together was helpful. My roommate has also given me great support."

Now serving as vice president of the Honors Student Union, Bonilla Villalobos cherishes the opportunity to support other students and welcome them into the Osprey community. She also serves as secretary for the Society of Physics Students and regularly attends Astronomy Club events.

Research Activities and Future Plans

As a freshman, she began conducting astrophysics research under the mentorship of Dr. Marina Kounkel, assistant professor of physics. Working so closely with UNF faculty has been central to her growth as a researcher, granting her hands-on experience with coding, data analysis and machine learning techniques, while also preparing her to present findings at national conferences.

"Astronomy and astrophysics research is very programming-centered, and I feel like a lot of people don't realize that," said Bonilla Villalobos. "I started out not having programmed a single thing in my life."

She has contributed to multiple research projects, including developing neural networks to classify young stars and conducting spectroscopic analyses to refine star classification methods.

In the summer of 2025, Bonilla Villalobos expanded her horizons even further through a prestigious fellowship abroad. She spent 10 weeks in Gothenburg, Sweden, as part of the Chalmers Astrophysics and Space Sciences Summer (CASSUM) Fellowship at Chalmers University of Technology.

There, she researched the star formation history of the massive Vela C Giant Molecular Cloud, collaborating with international scientists and presenting new results using data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-V). This experience gave her the opportunity to work alongside leading astrophysicists in a global setting. She will soon present research from her fellowship at the American Astronomical Society meeting in January 2026 and the Florida Undergraduate Research Conference in March.

Bonilla Villalobos is currently conducting research with Kounkel on eclipsing binary star systems, focusing on how their orbital and stellar parameters evolve over time.

Her ultimate dream is to earn a Ph.D. and contribute to humanity's understanding of the cosmos.

Bonilla Villalobos, who is scheduled to graduate in May 2027, credits the unwavering support she has received from both Kounkel and Will Pewitt, assistant director of the Hicks Honors College, for propelling her to soar toward her goals.

"The guidance I have received from both Professor Pewitt and Dr. Kounkel has meant everything to me," she said. "I can feel in my heart that they want me to succeed."

During the fall 2025 semester, "Undergraduate Researcher of the Month" award winners participated in impactful projects ranging from cutting-edge chemistry to innovative digital humanities. Together, these students showcased how UNF undergraduates are pushing boundaries in biochemistry, biomedical sciences, digital humanities and beyond-advancing discoveries that shape medicine, technology and education. Learn more about the fall 2025 research of the month award winners.