Public Outreach

In 2005, Prof. Dave Goldberg and I recieved an OSS/EPO grant from NASA (attached to his galaxy lensing research) to bring 6th graders to Drexel's Lynch Observatory. We also hosted an astronomy referesher course for elementary school teachers. More information is available on the website. We've run four "Astronomy for Teachers" sessions, and had around 80-100 Philadelphia 6th grade and high school students come to the observatory.

While I'm self-promoting (that's what websites are for, no?), I was invited to give a talk at the Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers meeting in February. The DVAA is an active group of amateurs, who have monthly meetings, and who try not to take astronomy, or themselves, too seriously. In my talk, I tried to answer the question, "Where have all the Quasars Gone?" (original Keynote) by describing what we currently know about the evolution of galaxies and their central supermassive black holes. The presentation (my first made in Keynote, which I quite like) included music and videos, which don't appear in the PDF.

I also spoke at the Rittenhouse Amateur Astronomers meeting in May (original Keynote, exported PDF) a bit about my prsent work, a bit about the Lynch Observatory, but mostly about my time with Cassini. It was odd giving a talk from the back of the Fels Planetarium at the Franlkin, while looking at the backs of everyone's heads. I tend to wave my hands around a lot while talking, but there wasn't anyone to wave to!