The Teams

Education

M. Ed., Eastern New Mexico University, 1984

B.S. Physics, Eastern New Mexico Univ., 1976

B.A. Mathematics, Eastern New Mexico Univ., 1976

Professional Background

Board of Education, Pueblo of Acoma, 2017

Program Specialist, Sr. Grants Office Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institution Grant New Mexico State Univ. 2014

Instructor/Participant, Precollege & Teacher Enrichment Program, American Indian Science & Engineering Society, 1989 – 2001

Education Instructional Leader Level III-A Certified Teacher Grants-Cibola County Schools Grants, NM, 1981 – 2011

PUNCH Role

Consultant for Native American Outreach. Facilitate the engagement of Acoma students/teachers in collaboration with PUNCH Outreach to develop culturally relevant products and events related to the theme: Ancient & Modern Sun Watching.

Experience Relevant to PUNCH

• As a member of the Acoma Dept. of Education, duties were to develop and provide quality educational programs to enhance lifelong skills while maintaining Acoma culture and language.
• Instructed students in Physics, Physical Science and Astronomy, all levels of Mathematics from Pre-Algebra thru Differential and Integral Calculus.
• Part of the Mars Exploration Rover Mission, Athena Student Intern Program. One of only 13 High School Teacher/Student Teams from across the U.S. to participate in the mission. Team worked in New Mexico and at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Supporting Experience

• 2013 Served as First Lieutenant Governor, Pueblo of Acoma Tribe, a traditionally appointed Tribal Administrator for the Pueblo. Duties included oversight of the Pueblo of Acoma tribal governmental policies, laws and general operations, and oversight of tribal business enterprises and entities.
• 1990-2001 Served as Tribal Councilman, Member of the Federally Recognized Pueblo of Acoma Tribe. Acted as the tribal resolving body on concerns of Policy and Operation of the Pueblo of Acoma Tribe and its entities (Government-to-Government relations and tribal business enterprises).
• National Science Foundation Young Scholars Program and Early Alert Initiative Program, Washington, D.C. NSF Grant Proposal Reviewer, for 1989, 1990, 1992, and 1994.

Selected Publications/Presentations Relevant to PUNCH

Aubele, J.C., J. Stanley, J. Aragon, A. Grochowski, Jones, K., Crumpler, L., 2005, Increasing Science Literacy and Public Support for Planetary Science: MER Educational Programming and Public Outreach at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (abst) Lunar & Planetary Science Conf.

Aubele, J., J. Stanley, A. Grochowski, K. Jones, and J. Aragon, 2006, Making Tracks on Mars: Teacher Resource and Student Activity Guide, NM Museum of Nat. Hist. & Science (DVD).

Education

University of Arizona, Planetary Science, M.S., 1988

University of New Mexico, Geology, M.S., 1978

Cleveland State University, Geology, B.S., Minors: history/anthropology, 1973

Professional Background

Educator & Geologist, New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science (NMMNHS), 2004 - present

Head of Education, NMMNHS, 1997 – 2003

NASA National Space Grant Program, Program Manager, Rhode Island Space Grant, 1991 – 1996

Brown University, Planetary Research Group, Staff Research Scientist, 1985 – 1996

PUNCH Role

Co-Director for Cross-Cultural Outreach. Leader: development of Community Outreach Events to broaden participation among Native American and Hispanic people.

Experience Relevant to PUNCH

• Mentor for Native American high school and college students, including the Student/Teacher Team from Laguna-Acoma H.S. working with the NASA Mars Rover Mission, the student Mars robotics project at Southwest Indian Polytechnic Institute, and the first Native American student in Brown University’s “Early Identification Summer Program” for minority students.
• Mentor and Advisory Board member for Women in Science & Engineering, Univ. of New Mexico and Brown University Women in Science and Engineering.

Supporting Experience

• Emphasis on making geoscience and space science accessible to all audiences and increasing the science literacy of non-scientist adults by linking the arts and science.
• Hundreds of presentations for K-13 students, classroom and science teachers, general public classes, lectures/field trips.
• Invited keynote speaker for STARCONN, AstroAssembly Convention, North American Jules Verne Society.
• Science advisor to Petroglyph National Monument.

Selected Publications/Presentations Relevant to PUNCH

Aubele, J.C., and Crumpler, L.S., 2018, Twenty-first-century natural history: Planetary geology in natural history museums, in Rosenberg and Clary, eds., Museums at the Forefront of the History & Philosophy of Geology: GSA Sp. Pap.535, 249–262.

Aubele, J.C., and Crumpler, L.S., 2016, Using Planetary Analogs to Teach “Place-Based” Geoscience to Underrepresented Students (abst) Geol. Soc. Am. Ann.Meeting.

Aubele, J.C., 2015, Mars Rover Missions and Science Education: Lessons learned from a decade of education and public outreach at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (abst) Lunar & Planetary Science Conference.

Aubele, J., J. Stanley, A. Grochowski, K. Jones, and J. Aragon, 2006, Making Tracks on Mars: Teacher Resource and Student Activity Guide, NM Museum of Nat. Hist. & Science (DVD).

Aubele, J., S. Connealy, and L. Morris, 2004, Age of Super Giants Teacher’s Guide, NMMNHS, 23.

Education

Ph.D. in Science Education, University of Arizona, 2010

M.A in Teaching and Teacher Education University of Arizona, 2006

B.A. in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, 2000

Professional Background

Senior Research Scientist and Senior Education and Communication Specialist Planetary Science Institute, 2019-present

Assistant Research Professor University of Arizona, 2013 – present

Research Scientist & Education Specialist Planetary Science Institute, 2010 - 2019

PUNCH Role

Assist in needs assessment, formative, and summative evaluation including designing data collection and data analysis to inform public engagement programs.

Experience Relevant to PUNCH

Dr. Buxner is an experienced program evaluator and astronomy education researcher. She has served as an external evaluator for dozens of projects funded by NASA, NSF, HHMI, the Gates Foundation, and other private foundations. She has also worked in NASA Education and Public Outreach for SMD planetary science missions. Additionally, she is a part time faculty member in the department of Teaching, Learning, and Sociocultural Studies at the University of Arizona and has extensive experience in community based evaluation work.

Supporting Experience

Dr. Buxner has worked in several planetaria, developing planetarium shows and museum exhibits, developed NASA content curriculum for middle school, high school, and informal education settings, and has provided numerous professional development workshops for teachers and informal educators. She continues to train museum docents, give public talks, and work with scientists to do their own public engagement activities. She was the lead editor for the 2019 publication, “Celebrating the 2017 Great American Eclipse: Lessons Learned From the Path of Totality” published by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.

Selected Publications/Presentations Relevant to PUNCH

Danaia, L., Frechtling, J., & Buxner, S. (2018). Factors to consider in making evaluation work for you. RTSRE Proceedings, 1(1), 57-63.

Buxner, S. R., Impey, C. D., Romine, J., & Nieberding, M. (2018). Linking introductory astronomy students’ basic science knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, sources of information, and information literacy. Physical Review Physics Education Research. 14, 010142.

Buxner, S. R., Wenger, M. C., Impey, C. D., & Formanek, M (2017, April). Reframing massive open online courses as free-choice learning environments. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, San Antonio, TX.

Education

MS, Science Education, Montana State University, 2015

MS, Space Studies, University of North Dakota, 2005

BA, General Studies, Thomas Edison State College, 1999

Professional Background

Education director, New Mexico Museum of Space History, 2012 – present

Education officer, National Solar Observatory, Sunspot, 2002 – 2012

Microgravity EPO Manager, Infinity Technology, Huntsville, 2000 – 2002

Freelance writer (1988 – 1999), Curriculum developer, U.S. Space Academy (1986–88), Research associate, Essex Corp. (1985 – 86).

Science editor, The Huntsville Times, 1977 – 1985

PUNCH Role

Co-Director for Outreach to the Visually Impaired. Develop and guide the PUNCH team’s contributions to tactile education materials to assist visually impaired students.

Experience Relevant to PUNCH

Dooling develops innovative aerospace curricula that engage students in learning the scientific and engineering design processes. As education officer for ATST, he used a 3x4-ft weaving, with magnifying glass, as a physical model of Alan Title’s Solar Magnetic Carpet metaphor and found that it invited more girls to ask questions than other exhibits achieved. He developed the Sunspot Solar System Model (1:250 million), which includes tactile models of Sun, planets, H-alpha filaments, and sunspots. He continues to employ these tools at the Space Museum. He covered early Space Shuttle missions for The Huntsville Times and then worked with NASA and industry. He won writing awards from the National Space Club (1981, 1983), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (1985), and the Society for Technical Communication (1986).

Supporting Experience

Dooling managed the February 2018 ISS Downlink event for students at Alamogordo schools. He guided students in developing experiments for 2–3 seconds of free-fall on a small plane. This earned an extra two minutes of crew time and an Excellence in Student Achievement Award, New Mexico School Boards Association. He is a NASA Solar System Ambassador and sits on the, Math and Science Advisory Committee, NM Public Education Department.

Selected Publications/Presentations Relevant to PUNCH

Books:

The Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (2004). National Solar Observatory, Sunspot, NM.

Science in Orbit: The Space Shuttle and Spacelab Experience (NASA NP-119, 1988). Co-author.

Space Travel: A History (Harper Collins, 1985). Co-author.

Shuttle to the Next Space Age (AIAA, 1979). Editor.

Video:

A Microscope for the Sun: The Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (2008). National Solar Observatory, Sunspot, NM.

Education

University of Texas at Arlington, Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication, 1990

Amarillo College, Associate in Science degree in Mass Communication, 1989

Professional Background

Space Science Director, Museum of Natural History & Science, Albuquerque, New Mexico, October 2013 - Present

Planetarium Manager, Museum of York County, Rock Hill, South Carolina, October 2012 - October 2013

Exhibitions/Science Curator, The Museum of Arts and Sciences Macon, Georgia, February 2009 - October 2012

Public Relations Director, The Museum of Arts and Sciences Macon, Georgia, April 2005 - February 2009

Planetarium Supervisor, Sharpe Planetarium/Pink Palace, Memphis, Tennessee, May 2002 - March 2005

Planetarium Curator, The Museum of Arts and Sciences, Macon, Georgia, September 1992 - May 2002

PUNCH Role

Coordinate outreach programs and festivals; assist with the development of the planetarium show, outreach kits, displays, and Girl Scout programs.

Experience Relevant to PUNCH

Program Production - Produced public and school planetarium shows for all audiences and grade levels. Developed exhibitions and multimedia presentations to interpret science phenomena, August 1990 - Present

Event Coordination - Organized and chaired or served on committees to plan the regional celebrations of special events such as family days, talks and presentations, artistic and scientific promotional and educational events, and shows and videos. Promoted the events with media announcements and interviews, June 1990 - Present

Professional Organizations - Attended and presented papers at professional conferences, including IPS (International Planetarium Society), WAC (Western Alliance Conference), SEPA (Southeastern Planetarium Association), SEMC (Southeastern Museum Conference), SWAP (Southwestern Association of Planetariums), MUG (MediaGlobe Users' Group), DRUM (Digitalis Regional Users Meeting), GAP (Georgia Association of Planetariums) and CAPE (Carolina Association of Planetarium Educators), June 1990 - Present

Marketing - Promoted museum activities with weekly listings, press releases, advertisements, public service announcements, interviews, outdoor advertising, email, websites, social media, television, radio, newspaper, magazines, billboards, recorded messages, and electronic signs. Edited all museum publications and exhibition signage, April 2005 - Present

Science Writing - Wrote monthly Skywatch column for The Macon Telegraph discussing current astronomical events. November 1992 - March 1999

Education

B.S. Construction Engineering, Iowa State University

Professional Background

Currently serves as SETI Institute Director of Education

PI, Reaching for the Stars: NASA Science for Girl Scouts, 2016 - 2021

STEM Teacher as Researcher (STAR) Liaison, 2009-2021

Co-I, Girls Go to Mars, 2013-2016

Program Manager, Astrobiology Summer Science Experience for Teachers, 2004-2013

Kepler Mission EPO Staff, 2002-2010

Manager for Girl Scouts, Astrobiology Adventure: Exploring the Solar System Workshop, 2006-2009

PUNCH Role

Chair of the PUNCH Outreach Advisory Board.

Experience Relevant to PUNCH

• Experience and success in program management from kick-off to final report, curriculum development, professional development programs, public relations, external evaluator partnerships, human network development, and online training.
• Integrated into the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Science Activation collective as P.I. for Reaching for the Stars: NASA Science for Girl Scouts and as Co-I of the Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors Program.
• Worked with the Girl Scouts on STEM Programs for 14 years.

Supporting Experience

• Invited Speaker: Astrobiology for Youth, Astrobiology Institute, Cartegena, Colombia, 2012
• Review Panel Chair: NASA ROSES Education and Outreach Supplements, 2010-2011
• Worked as engineer and project manager in the private sector
• High School Science and Math Teacher

Selected Publications/Presentations Relevant to PUNCH

Harman, PK, et al, 2020, Reaching for the Stars: Bringing Space Science to Young Women and their Families, 235th AAS Meeting, Abstract 337.09.

Harman, PK, et al, 2020, Girl Scouts and Subject Matter Experts: Making Connections, 51st LPSC, Abstract 5408.

Harman, PK, et al, 2019, Girl Scout Space Science Badges for Daisies, Brownies and Juniors, 233rd AAS Meeting, Abstract 147.10.

Harman, PK, et al, 2018, Girl Scouts and Subject Matter Experts: What’s the Connection? 231st AAS Meeting Abstract 131.06.

Harman, PK, et al, 2017, Girl Scout Camps and Badges: Engaging Girls in NASA Science, AGU Fall Meeting, ED54A-01.

Education

Ph.D. in Astronomy, University of Illinois, 1982

M.S. in Physics, University of Illinois, 1977

B.S. in Physics, University of Arizona, 1975

Professional Background

Astronomer, Lowell Observatory, 1986-present

Deputy Director of Science, Lowell Observatory, 2011-2014

Post-doc, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 1984-1986

Post-doc, Kitt Peak National Observatory, 1982-1984

PUNCH Role

Co-Director, Native American Outreach. Collaboration on developing and testing PUNCH Outreach activities and products with Native American learners.

Experience Relevant to PUNCH

Dr. Hunter is an astronomer who co-founded and runs Lowell Observatory’s Native American Astronomy Outreach Program (NAAOP), now in its 25th year. In 2014, she was awarded the American Astronomical Society’s Education Prize, partly for her dedication to this work.

NAAOP puts Lowell astronomers and other subject matter experts in direct contact with young learners (grades 4-8) on the Navajo, Hopi, and Apache Nations. The program pairs astronomers with teachers for one year. The astronomer visits the teachers’ classrooms several times throughout the year, leading astronomy discussions and hands-on activities in collaboration with the teacher. This builds relationship and trust between the scientist and the learners.

The astronomer also holds star parties at the school and involves tribal educators in presenting traditional astronomical knowledge. A field trip to Lowell Observatory is the culmination for all the year-long partnerships. The goal of this science enrichment and outreach program is to help teachers get Native American students excited about STEM and STEM careers. The program reaches hundreds of Native students each year.

Supporting Experience

NAAOP is committed to the development of culturally infused activities in a Project Based Learning style that enables learners to see themselves more readily as scientists and to see science as relevant to their lives.

Selected Publications/Presentations Relevant to PUNCH

Hunter, D. A., Bosh, A. S., Stansberry, J. A., & Hunsberger, S. D., (1999) “An Astronomy Outreach Program for Navajo and Hopi Schools,” Mercury. Vol 28, 18.

Hunter, D. A.(2016), “Minority Experiences in the Science Field,” National Conference on Leadership & Diversity, Associated Students for Women’s Issues Annual Women’s Conference, Northern Arizona University.

Education

M.S. Astrophysical & Planetary Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, 2015

B.S. in Physics, Washington State University, 2012

Professional Background

Education Programs Manager Fiske Planetarium, University of Colorado, Boulder, 2017 - present

Co-Founder, Annual Science Speak-Easy Science Communication Workshop, 2018 - present

Education Programs Assistant, Fiske Planetarium, University of Colorado, Boulder, 2016 - 2017

Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Colorado, Boulder, 2012 - 2015

Science Camp Instructor, CU Science Discovery, 2013

PUNCH Role

Responsible for management and development of educational materials aligned to planetarium films including interactive components for embodied learning; assistance with planetarium film script development; science communication support for translating science results into products digestible by a general public audience; and other deliverables associated with PUNCH education and outreach.

Experience Relevant to PUNCH

Briana has a background in astrophysics, planetary science, astronomy education research, and science communication. She has served as project manager and assistant script developer for a variety of grant-funded planetarium films, including Climate Change in Our Backyard and the NASA Explorations SciAct film series. She has additional project and program management experience with an array of planetarium and astronomy education efforts, most recently, the Dome to Home virtual planetarium series with curated activities and K-12 curriculum alignment. She has developed educator guides for the Explorations series and for the fulldome film Solar Superstorms. Briana’s interest in bringing interactivity into the planetarium environment has led to the design, development, and regular use of an interactive “Survivor Challenge” lab activity. Fiske’s current priority is to become a stronger advocate and provider for populations further from opportunity. Briana has been overseeing projects and seeking grant funding that promote collaborations with underserved populations.

Supporting Experience

Briana brings significant experience in science communication work. She is co-founder of the annual Science Speak-Easy, a science communication workshop for early-career researchers. She has collaborated with professional scientists to communicate their research effectively to public audiences. She regularly trains graduate students and undergraduates in science communication best-practice techniques through the Speak-Easy, the Science Under the Dome talk series at Fiske, and Fiske planetarium presenter training.

Briana co-developed and co-led a teacher training workshop series about the sun, eclipses, and space weather leading up to the 2017 total eclipse. She also assisted in oversight of five exhibits about the sun and its magnetic field developed by teams of university students.

Education

MS Space Studies, University of ND, 2008

B.S. in Math, Chemistry and Physics Education, Valley City, ND, 1991

Professional Background

Associate Director for Education & Exhibits, Clark Planetarium, UT, 2017 - Present

Education & Exhibits Manager, Clark Planetarium, UT, 2003 - 2017

Adjunct Professor of Astronomy, Surrey Community College, NC, 2003

Adjunct Professor of Astronomy, Forsyth Technical Community College, NC, 1995 - 2003

Planetarium & Programs Director, SciWorks Planetarium, NC, 1993 - 2003

PUNCH Role

Coordinate acquisition of photographic documentation efforts at Chaco Canyon and supervise use of photogrammetry datasets for use in multiple deliverables for PUNCH team’s contributions to education and outreach.

Experience Relevant to PUNCH

Mr. Johnson has been a National award-winning photographer for National Park Service and National Wildlife Fund. He owns and operates a photography business, specializing in landscape astrophotography. He has literally written the book on full-dome photography and photo processing and has been an invited workshop presenter at three planetarium conferences. Yellowknife, NWT, Norway and Iceland have been destinations to collect full-dome time-lapse images of the Aurora Borealis. He has been invited to conduct in-depth astrophotography workshops.

At Clark Planetarium, he built a statewide teacher professional development program providing school resource materials and pedagogy for 200-450 teachers each year and resources that reach 25,000+ students annually. For nearly 15 years, he directly managed the state-wide science and astronomy outreach efforts.

While at Sciworks, he directed all programs and developed and conducted Boy Scout and Girl Scout badge workshops and over-nights at the Science Center.

Supporting Experience

From 2015-2016, Mr. Johnson led a $ 4M building and exhibit re-model at the Clark Planetarium, developing innovative engaging guest experiences.

Mr. Johnson has served as President Elect for the Southeastern Planetarium Association (SEPA), Treasurer for Rocky Mountain Planetarium Association (RMPA), produced 22 planetarium shows, written and reviewed scripts for astronomy programs and has participated in and reviewed grants for the Utah State Office of Education and NSF.

Education

Master of Arts in Science Teaching, Northern Arizona University, 2015

Master of Arts in Anthropology, Northern Arizona University, 1990

Bachelor of Science, Northern Arizona University, 1985

Professional Background

STEM Education Director, CSTL NAU, 2014 – present

Professional Development Coordinator, CSTL NAU, 1994 – 2014

Professional Development Consultant, Project Archaeology, 2004 - 2014

Professional Development Consultant, Lawrence Hall of Science, UC Berkeley, 1980-2014

Project Director Anthropology Department, NAU, 2007-2010

Professional Development Consultant, Seeds of Science/Roots of Reading, Delta, 2009 – 2011

Field Archaeologist & River Guide, 1985 - 2002

PUNCH Role

PUNCH Outreach Advisory Board Member

Experience Relevant to PUNCH

Ms. LeMer is a science educator, applied anthropologist and archaeologist who has designed, written, and implemented science curricula and professional development programs for K-12 educators, informal educators, and Native American communities. She has 25+ years of experience working with US Native American communities to create curriculum; connect youth, elders, and educators in educational projects; provide experiential and field-based learning; and connect non-native educators with community members to share culturally relevant and appropriate information to diverse audiences. She is active in science education and has led numerous grant-funded STEM projects. She is currently Principal Investigator for Planetary Learning that Advances the Nexus of Engineering, Technology, and Science (PLANETS), a NASA cooperative agreement (NASA # NNX16AC53A) to develop national out of school time materials and professional development in planetary science and engineering (www.planets-stem.org).

Supporting Experience

• PLANETS: Remote Sensing, Water in Extreme Environments, Space Hazards
• Hopi Footprints of the Ancestors Curriculum
• Kuuyit ovi Suvotumala - Working Together for Water Hopi Curriculum
• Project Archaeology: Investigating Shelter
• Science in Our Parks: Petrified Forest, Flagstaff Area National Monuments, Hubbell Trading Post, Grand Canyon Parashunt National Monument
• National Park Service Traveling Trunk Program: The Ancestral Puebloans, Stories Then and Now, and Hot Spots and Squeeze-Ups: An Investigation into Earth’s History.
• Interactive Archaeology of the Colorado Plateau and Grand Canyon: Archaeological and Indigenous Perspectives.
• Leupp Japanese Isolation Camp Inquiry
• Elden Pueblo Archaeological Project Curriculum Program

Selected Publications/Presentations Relevant to PUNCH

Clark, J., Bloom, N., Rubino-Hare, L., Barnes, C. & Ryan, S. (2021). Professional Learning Supports for STEM in Out-of-School Time. Spring 2021 Afterschool Matters, National Institute on Out-of-School Time.

Clark, J. & Rubino-Hare, L. (2020). PLANETS Out-of-school time resources for grades 3-5. A presentation for the Solar System Exploration Public Engagement Institute, Houston, TX.

Bloom, N., Rubino-Hare, L., & Clark, J. (2019, December). Identifying supports for educators facilitating a Planetary Science and Engineering Out-of-School Time Program. Presentation at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union, San Francisco, CA.

Clark, J. & Gumerman IV, G. (2018). Hopi footprints: what really matters in cultural preservation. In Footprints of Hopi History: Hopihiniwtiput kukveni'at. Kuwanwisiwma, L. J., Ferguson, T.J., and Colwell, J.S., Eds. Eds.Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona Press.

Brody, M., Moe, J. Clark, J. & Alegria, C.B. (2014). Archaeology as culturally relevant science education: the poplar forest slave cabin. In Public Participation in Archaeology, J. Lea, Ed., Newcastle, UK: Newcastle University.

Education

Ph.D. in Astronomy, University of Florida, 2009

M.S. in Astronomy, University of Florida, 2005

B.A. in Physics & Astrophysics Universidad de La Laguna, 2002

M.F.A. in Design, University of Florida, 2012

Professional Background

Scholar, Astrophysical & Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, 2018– present

Director, NEST Studio for the Arts, University of Colorado, Boulder, 2018– present

Director of Strategy, Fiske Planetarium University of Colorado, Boulder, 2019 – present

Curator, Frost Science, 2014 –2018

Project Lead, NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium, 2013 – 2014

Exhibition/Program Developer, Florida Museum, 2011 – 2013

PUNCH Role

Co-Director for Diversity. Advises the PUNCH outreach team on informal science education, the building of outreach bridges between science and art, and cultural inclusion.

Experience Relevant to PUNCH

• Over 20 years’ experience in formal and informal science education
• Co-PI of two successful AISL NSF grants, among others
• Extensive experience with exhibition and program development for multicultural communities
• Pioneered academic science and art effort at the University of Colorado Boulder

Supporting Experience

Dr. Jorge Perez-Gallego is a multifaceted astronomer, designer, and educator with a Ph.D. in astronomy and an M.F.A. in design. His happy place is one in which my creative juices can flow toward celebrating wonder whether developing innovative informal science education opportunities or building meaningful bridges between science, art and technology. Currently, he is a scholar at CU Boulder where, among other things, he co-directs the NEST Studio for the Arts, work toward making Fiske Planetarium (& Science Center) a reference in informal science education and a welcoming creative avenue; and count himself among the fine folks of the faculty at the Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences department.

His interdisciplinary background has allowed him to succeed in industry and academia. He has worked on an eclectic set of projects for cultural institutions—including project management, curatorial and strategic planning efforts—and taught graduate and undergraduate courses on subjects as diverse as astronomy, physics, graphic design, science fiction literature and cinema, and interactive media at institutions such as the University of Florida, the University of Miami, and the University of Colorado Boulder.

As an astronomer, his main area of research is galaxy formation and evolution over cosmological timescales. In particular, he has looked at the structure, kinematics and stellar populations of galaxies both in the nearby and in the distant universe. The comparative analysis of these populations allows us to describe how galaxies have evolved in the last 12 billion years.

As an educator, he is interested in informal science education, and the way science is taught in school settings; and, among other things, he looks at computer simulations as a way to engage, excite, and generate interest in science. Currently, he is co-PI of WHIMC, an NSF-funded project that leverages Minecraft as an informal learning environment for young learners to interactively explore the scientific consequences of alternative versions of Earth via “what if?” questions, such as “What if the Earth had no moon?” or “What if the Earth were twice its current size?”

As a designer, he is interested in building bridges between sciences, art and technology in cultural venues to facilitate the understanding of the world within and around us.

Science centers and museums often seem the perfect scenario to look at the productive romance between the art and the sciences as two complementary ways of thinking, which is what brought him to become, for a few years, a pivotal member of the opening team at the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science—which opened in May of 2017 in Miami, FL and welcomed over 900,000 guests during its first year. Among other projects, he led the curatorial and creative efforts during the development of the cutting-edge 67-foot Frost Planetarium; and the permanent Feathers to the Stars exhibition, about the past, present and future of flight. Furthermore, he led the temporary LASERsHOW installation, part science demonstration, part soundscape, sculpture and laser show; and the LATE@Frost Science event series for a more sophisticated museum audience with an interest in science and art.

His work has been published in leading international journals and conferences on the fields of museums, scientific research, and art. Among other efforts, he has developed exhibitions and programs for institutions such as the Florida Museum, the NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium, and Telefónica Talentum Schools; has co-founded the award winning design studio ODDS; has curated a handful of exhibitions and shows; and has been featured in both radio and television. Finally, he is an expert on multilingual communication in cultural settings.

Selected Publications/Presentations Relevant to PUNCH

Perez-Gallego, J. 2020, NEST: A Space for Art and Science, Leonardo Journal, in press, doi: 10.1162/leon_a_0184

Perez-Gallego, J., 2016. SCIENCESTORE: An Art Space Designed for Science, Leonardo Journal, Vol. 49, No. 5, Pages 412-420

Perez-Gallego, J. 2016, Bilingual Communities, Association of Science and Technology Centers Annual Conference, Tampa, FL

Perez-Gallego, J., Guzmán, R., Castillo Morales, A., Gruel, N., Garland, C. A., Pisano, D. J., Castander, F. J., Gallego, J., & Zamorano J., 2011. 3D Spectroscopy of Local Three-dimensional spectroscopy of local luminous compact blue galaxies: kinematic maps of a sample of 22 objects, Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc., 418, 2350P

Education

Ph.D. Geology, University of Colorado, 2021

M.S. Earth Science, University of Northern CO, 2004

Professional Background

Founder and educator, Observant Naturalist, 2000 – present

Part-time earth science Instructor: University of Colorado, 2015-present; Front Range Community College, Western Colorado University, 2000 - 2016

Regional Outreach Coordinator, NASA Education Broker for the Western United States, 2006 - 2007

Education Specialist/ Mobile Programs Coordinator, Space Science Institute, 1999 - 2007

PUNCH Role

Collaboration on the development of kinesthetic and other hands-on activities related to the PUNCH Outreach theme of Ancient & Modern Sun Watching.

Experience Relevant to PUNCH

Dr. Zawaski is an outdoor educator, field-researcher, and scholar who has collaborated with the PUNCH Outreach Lead for 20 years and is the co-developer (with Dr. Morrow) of the Kinesthetic Astronomy™ teaching method. His Masters research was directed by Dr. Kim Malville who is the foremost archaeoastronomical expert on the “eclipse” petroglyph site in Chaco Canyon that is a focus of PUNCH Outreach efforts. Zawaski’s Master’s thesis involved archaeoastronomical research in Peru and he served on the faculty of the 2008 NASA-funded Chaco Educator’s Institute in Astronomy directed by Dr. Morrow. Dr. Zawaski has also served as Instructor for a popular Cultural Astronomy course at the University of Colorado, Boulder where he has pioneered techniques for scaling up access to hands-on activities for larger classes.

Supporting Experience

Dr. Zawaski uses his interdisciplinary background to lead inquiry with students that cover topics from early life to mass extinctions to how (and if) ancient cultures viewed the sky for practical and ceremonial purposes. He has spent 21 years instructing wilderness courses exploring wild places. The synthesis of his science and wilderness background is that his education focuses on how to enjoy and benefit from the science that people experience while traveling in the outdoors.

Selected Publications/Presentations Relevant to PUNCH

Zawaski, M., Malville, J.M. (2008), An Archaeoastronomical Survey of Major Inca Sites in Peru, Archaeoastronomy: the Journal for Astronomy in Culture, v. XXI, p. 20-38

Morrow, C.A., Zawaski, M. (2007), Kinesthetic Astronomy™ the Sky Time Lesson. American Educational Products, Kit includes lesson, materials, & teacher DVD

Zawaski, M. (2013). “Keeping Track of Time” INVITED workshop at the Watershed School, Boulder, CO