In-person Office Hours: Tuesday 1pm-2pm and Friday 10am -12pm.
Online Office Hours: Thursdays 1pm-3pm.
Biography
I am a planetary scientist,meaning my research focus was on the planets of our solar system. I have been involved in three NASA missions that went to places like our Moon, Pluto, and the asteroid Psyche. I love how every world in our solar system is so unique in its history and features. All of this creates a story for each world, stories I get to share.
For my own education I got my Associates of Arts from Red Rocks Community College. I then got my Bachelors of Science from Northern Arizona University. I did my thesis work for my doctorate at the University of California Santa Cruz. I then spent several years doing research at Arizona State University before joining Scottsdale Community College.
Classes I teach:
AST 101: Survey of Astronomy
What is Astronomy? What even is is a solar system, galaxy, or black hole? Why do we explore?
This class is the broadest overview of astronomy. We skim the surface of many subjects, but do not go very deep anywhere. This class can be a great starting place for understanding the breadth astronomy and how it connects to the human experience.
AST 111: Introduction to Solar System Astronomy
What are other worlds like? Could we go skiing on Mars? Are other worlds habitable? What would happen if an asteroid hit the Earth?
In this class we look closely at Earth's closest neighbors, the other worlds of our solar system. Each world is a unique destination with its own story. Through learning those stories we reflect on what that teaches us about the Earth.
AST 112: Introduction to Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology
How do we know the big bang happened? How do black holes form? Where do stars come from? What is going on in those beautiful space telescope images?
This is the class of big questions at the largest scale. We will explore the life cycles of stars and of the universe itself. We will breakdown the evidence for the big bang, showing how we know what we know. We will learn how the elements that make up our bodies were forged in the cores of stars and then spread over the galaxy.