Educational and Outreach Materials

Opening the Dome at McDonald Observatory

A time lapse of me opening the dome of the 2.7m Harlan J Smith telescope at McDonald Observatory in West Texas. The 2.7m is one of the telescopes I use to collect high-resolution spectra of stars in the Milky Way!

Science is most alive when it's shared! I love visiting classrooms and finding new ways to make the universe feel close and personal, no matter the age. Here are some highlights from a few of my favorite outreach talks.

A slide explaining that humans can figure out how older generations grew up with words and stories, but to figure out how stars grew up we need to use their light. A slide explaining that the elements that were created in stars make-up our bodies and planet. A slide using minecraft to explain the hierarchical formation of the galaxy.

Fourth Grade Presentation

Some clips from a general astronomy lesson to a fourth grade class at an elementary school in Florida.

A slide explaining how photons moving along our line of sight can tell us the make-up of stars. A slide explaining how metallicity increases with generations of stars. A slide showing the system Gaia BH3 and highlighting why it's interesting.

High School Physics Presentation

Some clips from an astronomy and physics focused club presentation for high schoolers in Nevada.