As astronomers, spending long days and late nights coding at our desks can make us feel removed from the general public. Participating in outreach bridges our connection and helps us relay our experiences as scientists to those in the general public who are interested in the topic. My favorite part of outreach is when younger students tell me facts they learned in class about stars and planets. Their genuine excitement about the cosmos is inspiring and motivational.
Outreach
Current Outreach
In Santa Cruz, I am doing my part to make the field more accessible for people in systemically marginalized communities through mentorship programs. I am a mentor for UC GradPath which helps students prepare for graduate programs in STEM fields. We meet monthly with students one-on-one to give advice on how to create a CV, write a successful research statement, and reach out to potential advisors.
This program inspired me to making my own graduate school preparation resources. My website gives advice on a suggested timeline to complete all the requirements for a PhD program's application by their due date, tips for writing a personal statement and research statement, and guidance for applying for the NSF GRFP.
I also plan to participate in Project for Inmate Education, a program where graduate students and faculty teach a 10-week college-level, pre-algebra, algebra, and introductory astronomy courses at the county jail.
Previous Outreach
As an undergraduate at the University of Arizona, I participated in many outreach programs through the University's Astronomy club.
I was President and Vice President in 2022 and 2021 respectively and we organized many outreach events at local elementary, middle, and high schools in the local Tucson area. We would bring the club-owned telescopes and point them to different objects in the night sky.
We also organized club trips to dark sky spots to showcase the stunning beauty of the Milky Way at night, and we had an overnight trip to San Diego to explore the air and space museum and palomar mountain at night!
