My love affair with the stars and astronomy began when I was a child, and I am fortunate to make this my profession as an astronomer first at the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and now at the Space Science Labs at UC Berkeley. My vision is to share this joy with others and stimulate the same wonder in young minds. I believe in highly interactive programs that complement classroom study with concrete real-world examples.
I usually get in touch with the science teacher 4-6 weeks before the presentation to get an idea of what the children are learning in class, and tailor the program accordingly. Often, I will use a hands-on experiment using everyday materials to demonstrate a concept. For example, I have found that experiments with play-dough and soda cans are very effective to conceptualize relative sizes of planets and how gravitational force varies on different planets. As part of my belief in bringing Astronomy into the classroom, I draw from my professional experience and relate these ideas to everyday experiences. For example, I discuss how X-ray imaging, commonly used to look inside our bodies, is also used in modern telescopes to observe the sun during bright daylight. Another topic that I discuss is how studying other planets can teach us about the effects of global warming! These topics stimulate a lot of interest in children and encourage thinking outside the box.
I am a resident of Cupertino, CA and I originally gave a science presentation and workshop when my daughter was in elementary school. I was amazed to see the kids enthusiasm and how much it inspired me! "Starry Starry Nite" was born out of this interest.
I am a researcher at Space Science Labs at University of California at Berkeley.