Charlie Young’s road to the major leagues included an extended stay at 1110 West Green Street, home to Loomis Lab.
That’s where then-physics professor and frequent MLB consultant Alan Nathan conducted fascinating research — on the dynamics of the collision between the ball and bat and the aerodynamics of a baseball in flight, among other topics.
“I would not be where I am today without Professor Alan Nathan,” Young says from Houston, where he started with the Astros as a fresh-out-of-Illinois intern in 2020 and is now a senior front-end development in the team’s research and development division.
“Not only did his mentorship prepare me for a career in professional baseball, but his endless encouragement led to my growth as a team contributor,” Young says.
“I learned how to collaborate, ask important questions and conduct quality research — while also having fun chatting about baseball, even though we rooted for different teams.
”The afternoons at Loomis Lab are some of my fondest memories at Illinois, and I’m extremely grateful for Alan’s friendship to this day.”
