A central part of my passion for astronomy is sharing this love with people of all ages and backgrounds. While I often get to do this through work, I also enjoy independently being a guest speaker for local groups. I work with each group on my own to develop a program that works best for them. Typically, this involves giving an approximately 1-hour talk and Q&A session about general astronomy and special topics (including the Curiosity rover, dwarf galaxies, variable stars, constellations, and the scale of the universe). I also have a strong passion for encouraging women and girls in STEM through these talks.

I have led these programs throughout the country, including:

• Jackson, WY

• Bloomington, IN

• Berrien Springs, MI

• St. Joseph, MI

• Grand Rapids, MI

• Rehoboth, NM

• Cortez, CO

In addition to daytime programs and nighttime naked-eye observing sessions, I love showing the community a deeper view of the night sky using various telescopes and observatories. 

Private Observing Sessions

I lead private observing sessions for friends, families, and community groups with my 11-inch computerized Celestron telescope. A highlight from my private observing sessions was hosting a stargazing night for the Royal Family of Bhutan in 2023.

Lost Creek Ranch & Spa

Lost Creek Ranch and Spa is a historic guest ranch in Jackson Hole that offers all-inclusive vacations. I lead weekly astronomy programs for guests of all ages at Lost Creek.

Snow King Observatory and Planetarium

Snow King Mountain Resort opened a one-of-a-kind observatory and planetarium on top of the ski resort in 2024. I help lead night observing programs there using a 1-meter PlaneWave telescope as well as 8-11 inch robotic telescopes. 

Wyoming Stargazing

In Jackson Hole, I hosted weekly public observing nights using 11-20 inch robotic and manual telescopes.

Indiana University

IU is home to the historic Kirkwood Observatory, which hosts a 12-inch refracting telescope that was built in 1900. I led regular observing sessions here and each session attracted 200+ visitors.

Calvin University

As an undergraduate student at Calvin, I hosted observing nights at Calvin's on-campus observatory for multiple years. This observatory was home to a 16-inch reflecting telescope.

As the Program Coordinator and Stargazing Leader for Wyoming Stargazing, I developed and led astronomy-based educational activities for all ages. These programs included school activities for elementary through high school students, private stargazing programs in Grand Teton National Park, and public observing programs in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

The groups I developed STEM outreach programs for included:

• The Children's Grand Adventure

• Teton Science Schools

• Teton County Parks and Recreation

• Teton Behavior Therapy

• Munger Elementary School

• Jackson Elementary School

• Jackson Hole Middle School

• Jackson Hole High School

• Public libraries throughout Wyoming (Jackson, Gillette, Pinedale, Big Piney, Thayne, Alpine)

As a graduate student in the astronomy department at IU, I served as the Public Outreach Coordinator. For this position, I organized and led departmental outreach activities. This included public and private observing sessions, speaking engagements with local groups, and developing and leading hands-on astronomy activities for groups of various sizes and ages. I also managed and trained volunteers for all of these activities.

A highlight of my work as the Public Outreach Coordinator was developing and organizing hands-on astronomy activities for IU's annual Science Fest. This event attracts approximately 1,800 visitors from throughout Indiana.

The groups I developed STEM programs for included:

• Wonderlab Museum of Science, Health, & Technology

• Boy Scouts of Indiana

• Girl Scouts of Indiana

• Girls in Engineering, Math, and Science

• Public and private schools (pre-kindergarten through high school) throughout the Bloomington, Indiana area