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EPO Philosophy

Over the last several years, I have become steadily more interested in EPO activities designed for adults and young adults in non-classroom settings - what is sometimes called free-choice learning - as well as communicating the process of science, rather than only scientific content knowledge. I am currently in the process of designing a series of talks on the process of science to be given in more informal settings such as Astronomy on Tap. Thus far I have given two talks ("Simulations and Models" and "Uncertainty as a Tool in Astronomy") and am developing a third (on confluence of evidence and how it is used in science).

Education and Public Outreach

During my time at the University of Virginia, I was involved in a variety of Education and Public Outreach (EPO) activities, including:

  1.  The Dark Skies, Bright Kids (DSBK) annual star party

  2.  UVa Astronomy Department public events:

    • McCormick Observatory Public Nights - telescope operation, public science discussion

    • Fan Mountain Observatory Public Nights - science demos, public talks, tours

  3. Astronomy on Tap (AoT) - Charlottesville - public talks, especially on the nature and process of science

 

During my undergraduate career at the University of Arizona, I was heavily involved in the UA Astronomy Club, which ran star parties and science-education events for local schools (K-12), local educational institutions (such as Biosphere 2), and private events, as well as a standing monthly star party, free and open to the public, at Sabino Canyon.

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Mentoring

In Spring 2016, I helped found the Graduate Committee for Undergraduate Inclusion (the "Grad-Undergrad Committee"), and I served as Chair of this committee until May of 2020. The goals of this committee are to support undergraduate astronomy majors and minors in the Astronomy Department and to promote their interests within the department overall. The Committee has a particular focus on the type of informal/cultural support that often is not formally provided to students and which is so crucial for the retention and success of all students in STEM, and especially members of underrepresented groups. The committee has, therefore, for several years run the following programs:

 

  1. The Astronomy Mentoring Program (AMP), which pairs undergraduate students with graduate-student mentors in 2-3 person groups and pays for these groups to meet informally off-campus on a regular basis.

  2. A summer Physics GRE prep course, outlining the use of the PGRE within the astronomy community and particular studying and test-taking strategies. This course is also open to any summer students working in the Astronomy Department or at NRAO.

  3. The Astronomy Undergraduate Research Appreciation Symposium (AURAS), an annual afternoon poster symposium showcasing only undergraduate research in the department (with a cash prize for best presentation). AURAS has seen annually-increasing levels of undergraduate participation, and of attendance from faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and NRAO staff.

  4. Panels on important future-career steps, such as applying for and attending REUs or graduate school

  5. Talks on useful scientific skills, such as a two-hour "Computing Skills" workshop on basic Linux and Python commands and structure.

 

In August 2019, we restructured the Committee so that its membership is now ~50/50 grad student and undergraduate members. This facilitates collaboration and socialization between grad and undergraduate students, and gives undergrads a direct say in the activities of the committee that advocates for them.

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