Outreach
In addition to research, I love doing outreach in the community for multiple reasons. The primary one is that it helps me keep perspective on my work and where it fits into science as a whole. Instead of getting lost in the details of my work, I have to think about what my work does as a bigger picture. Also, I really enjoy the relaxed nature of outreach, where staying lighthearted and less serious reminds the public that scientists are people just like them.
Astronomy Conversations at the Adler Planetarium
I travel up to Chicago to volunteer as an astronomy expert at the Adler Planetarium a few times a year. I provide insight to Planetarium visitors as to what life is like as a professional astronomer and converse with them about anything they find interesting. We are also given access to many videos on a tv display to help the visitors visualize various astronomical phenomena.
Jump Into Science
Gave a presentation and demonstration with a fellow grad student at the Urbana Free Library to local elementary school children. We started off with a demonstration of how astronomers use spectra to find elements in the sun, having them guess what elements from a given table corresponded to the one we were illuminating after they saw the emission lines through diffraction gratings. We then talked about the planets in our Solar System, giving fun facts about each before having them draw their favorite planets. We finished up with having the children space themselves out according to their favorite planet so the see just how far away the outer planets can be.
Urbana Science at the Market
Twice have set up solar telescopes with 3-5 other UIUC Astronomers at local the Urbana Farmers Market to allow guests to see sunspots safely. We also set up other displays like a scale model of planet sizes and their corresponding distances from the Sun if they were that size, and some stickers for kids to take home to possibly keep them interested in space. We also happily chat about anything space related, from what we work on for our research to whatever the latest astronomy news is.
Total Eclipse of the Park, 2024
Traveled with 11 other UIUC astronomers to Marion, IL to Mountain Dew Park, home of the Thrillville Thrillbillies Prospect League baseball team, for the May 2024 Solar Eclipse. We set up several solar telescopes and provided astronomy expertise to a crowd of over 1500 fellow eclipse viewers. As a passionate astronomer and baseball fan, a day of talking astronomy and baseball while witnessing a surreal once-in-a-lifetime astrnomical event such as a total solar eclipse was the most fun I've possibly ever had. Guests asked us about our research, eclipses, the many sunspots they saw through the telescopes. The ones who noticed my Mets hat also chatted baseball with me periodically. Yes, I also ran the bases.
Stargazing at Local Parks
I've travelled to Allerton Park and Middle Fork River Forest Preserve (an International Dark Sky Park) with other UIUC Astronomers to help run stargazing and telescopes events. We set up and allow the public attendees to look through our 8" Dobsonian Telescopes and stare at the stars under pristine skies. The single best moment I had while outreaching was when an ~8 year old girl saw Saturn through one of the telescopes and screamed with joy. It had risen above the horizon just in time before we had to pack up, and hearing her so happy to see the planet (it's both of our favorite) filled my heart.