Observatory Open House volunteering

My interest in astronomy came from using telescopes to look at the sky, so I always volunteer to help out at observatory open houses. During my undergraduate years at Carleton College, I was trained to operate Goodsell Observatory's antique 16" and 8" refracting telescopes and gave brief lectures to the waiting public about the object I had set up in the 16" refractor. I also used more modern small telescopes and imaging equipment.

During my time at UCSC, I volunteered at the Lick Observatory open houses, often as one of the only professional astronomers on site. I prepared the public for their viewing experience in the Nickel 40" telescope with short explanations of the target and the telescope.

Now at Juniata, I am working to boost public observatory nights for Juniata's Paul Hickes Observatory, giving the people of Huntingdon the chance to experience astronomy in action.

Ask an Astronomer

For almost my entire graduate career, I ran the Ask an Astronomer website and email address for the entire UC system. I led a team of other graduate students in answering questions that come in to our official email address.

We received a mix of students doing projects, curious retirees, random people asking what they saw, and everything in between (including some crackpots). The off-the-wall questions keep me thinking on my feet, and I learn a lot from researching the answers to their decidedly untraditional questions!

Ask an Astronomer public events

I did several live online "Ask an Astronomer" events. I gave public presentations summarizing the most common questions I was asked, some the more entertaining emails I got, and the most interesting things I learned in my years on the job.

I also held a live online Q&A session through UC Observatories, answering questions from the audience of students, parents, and observatory members.

Rebuilding the Ask an Astronomer website

I completely redesigned the Ask an Astronomer website to make it more user-friendly and to make our past answers more publicly accessible. Using a WordPress framework, I created pages of archived answers and an easier question submission box. Since the redesign, the new website has steadily ticked up in traffic and the question submission box has been increasing in usage.