Outreach
"One that beareth a torch shadoweth oneself to give light to others."
Astronomy on Tap:
As a graduate student I have been an active participant in Astronomy on Tap, a public outreach event where scientists give public level talk at a local bar. In Lansing, MI, I have given two talks titled "The Evolution of Astronomy: From Light to Gravitational Waves" and "Exploring the Lives and Deaths of Stars through Poetry."
Saturday Science:
As part of the University of Tennessee's University Assisted Community Schools program, myself and other volunteers performed hands on science activities with students at Pond Gap Elementary, a local Title I elementary school in Knoxville, TN, for all 5 years of undergrad.
Society of Physics Students:
For all five years of undergrad I was heavily involved with the University of Tennessee (UTK) chapter of the Society of Physics Students. This group was, and continues to be, dedicated to outreach. We held monthly public science demonstrations in downtown Knoxville, visited schools and museums, organized regional conferences for undergraduates, and more. We were recognized by the national organization for our outreach efforts on multiple occasions. One of our most popular events was a frozen pumpkin drop near Halloween! Within the department, we worked to bring students and faculty together by hosting events such as lunches with faculty.
More Outreach!
I have volunteered and continue to volunteer with many other organizations, often including local schools. I developed lesson plans and co-led activities for a semester long after school science club at Annoor Academy in Knoxville. At Inskip Elementary, a local community school in Knoxville, I helped lead an after school LEGO robotics club.