Professional Bio

PI and Director for the Youth Astronomy Apprenticeship program - in collaboration with science educators at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, the Timothy Smith Network and the Institute for Learning Innovation: an out-of-school time initiative that uses an apprenticeship model to promote science learning among urban teenage youth and their communities. One of the primary goals of YAA is to broaden the awareness of science education as an effective way of promoting overall youth development and of providing competitive professional opportunities. Project funded by the National Science Foundation.

EPO Co-I, Director and Instructor for the Chandra Astrophysics Institute – in collaboration with Rutgers University: a year-long research program in x-ray astrophysics for high school students from underrepresented groups in science and their science and math teachers. The goal of the institute is to enable participants to use their own observations to engage in model building, testing and revising as practicing scientists do. To this end, participants are first introduced to professional software tools for the analysis of Chandra data. Then students, working in small groups, use these tools to conduct authentic research in x-ray astronomy. Project funded by NASA Space Science EPO program.

Expertise & Interest Descriptors

informal science education, positive youth development, equity, social justice.

Planned Conference Participation

Attending :: ISE PI Summit 2008
25 - 26 July 2008