I am an Associate Professor of Physics at Westminster University (formerly Westminster College) in Salt Lake City, UT. Prior to this I was an NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Arizona. I completed my MS and PhD in Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences at the University of Colorado at Boulder and BA in Physics at Cornell College in my home state of Iowa.

My doctoral and post-doctoral research focused on molecular gas in star-forming galaxies, primarily using the Herschel SPIRE Fourier Transform Spectrometer, the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), and the Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO).  Since starting at Westminster, I have been involved in many different research projects that involve undergraduate students, such as light pollution research, variable star monitoring, exoplanet transit monitoring, and physics/astronomy education research. I was also involved in the 2017 Citizen CATE and 2024 DEB Initiative projects to image the solar corona during a total solar eclipse. I am very interested in advancing the participation of underrepresented groups in STEM and teaching my students how science, society, and policy interact. In my classroom, I utilize research-supported active-learning strategies and, often, standards-based grading to help all students reach their scientific career goals.

Contact Information:

Email:       jkamenetzky -AT- westminsteru.edu

Phone:      801-832-2845 (Office)

Mailing:    Westminster University

                1840 S 1300 E

                Salt Lake City, UT 84105, USA