Astronomy Outreach
My outreach activities span a wide range of audiences, including the
general public, undergraduate and graduate recruitment and school
children from ages 3 to 18. I have been engaged in outreach in 5
continents in English, French and Spanish.
Summary of outreach activities:
- 1992-1993: Full-time elementary school science teacher (UK, two terms)
- 1998-1999: Invited instructor for Institute of Physics high school course 'Physics in Perspective' (UK)
- 1999: Instructor for Charles Sturt Cosmology Distinction course (Australia)
- 2000-2003: Public tours of ESO facilities (English/Spanish), Chile
- 2000-2002: Webmaster for Paranal Observatory, Chile
- 2000-2002: 160 nights of telescope support at the Very Large Telescope, Chile
- 2000-2003: Supervisor for Swinburne online astronomy course (Australia)
- 2004-present UVic communications astronomy contact for local media
- 2005: UVic representative at the annual CUPC conference (English/French). Also tour of 4 Ontario universities for graduate recruitment on the department's behalf.
- 2005: Invited speaker for the BC Innovation Council's student career development program
- 2005: Invited speaker for the UVic continuing education 'In Pursuit of Knowledge' series
- 2006: Invited speaker for UVic's 'Dine with a scientist' lecture series
- 2006: Globe & Mail advertorial subject for undergraduate recruitment
- 2006: BC Junior Achievement 'World of Choices' speaker
- 2007-present: 'Yes' magazine science consultant
- 2008: UVic continuing education speaker
- 2009: UVic coordinator for International Year for Astronomy. Activities organised include
- Workshop production of Moons of Jupiter at Phoenix theatre
- Mainstage production with Theatre Inconnu
- Public talks: Alain Berinstain, (CSA) Jean-Charles Cuillandre (CFHT), Dava Sobel (Orion lecturer), Joe Silk (Oxford, Lansdowne lecturer), Bill Harris (McMaster).
- UVic alumni events
- Science venture weeks (PI: Lisa Glass)
- UVic IYA movie production
- Various media (Times Colonist, Yes magazine, Ring article)
- IMAX event (includes 6 week movie run, public talks, observing sessions)
- Luminara installation (PI Sarah Sadavoy)
- 2009: UVic continuing education speaker
- 2009: Scientist in residence for grade 3 class at Lochside school
- 2009: Science advisor for theatre's 'Moons of Jupiter'
- 2009: Speaker at UVic's new faculty orientation
- 2010: Dean's lunchtime lecture series speaker 'What's New in Science'
- 2010: Elementary school outreach in Burkina Faso (west Africa, currently ranked the 3rd poorest nation in the world) to 250 children in 5 different classes (French).
- 2010: Coordinator with Natural Resources Canada (Ottawa) for NRC undergraduate lab visits.
- 2010: Science Media Centre of Canada expert liaison
- 2010:
Year of Science calendar profile and astronomy activity for November .
- 2011: Faculty of science media workshop speaker and panelist
- 2012: Adler planetarium podcast
- 2012: CBC Quirks & Quarks interview
- 2013: CBC Quirks & Quarks interview
- 2014: McGill University podcast .
- 2015: RASC speaker, Victoria chapter.
- 2015: `Student for a Day' speaker
- 2015: High School teachers Pro-D event coordinator
- 2015: RASC speaker, Sunshine Coast chapter
- 2015: Q and A article with Vancouver Sun
- 2016: IdeaFest event at the Belfry theatre with UVic Chancellor Shelagh Rogers
- 2016: UVic evening with a prof
- 2017: Keynote speaker at Women in Science re-launch, Victoria
- 2018 Talk to the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Edmonton chapter
- 2018 SIMRES SeaTalk on Saturna Island
- 2018 UVic Women in Science Research Symposium, invited speaker
- 2019 Night with a Prof (PHASERS, UVic)
- 2020 Science consultant for Langham Court Theatre production “Silent Sky”
- 2020-2023 Pre-show presentations for “Silent Sky” theatre production
- 2022 New Scientist article on my research: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2340415-when-two-galaxies-collide-they-often-stop-making-new-stars/
- 2022 UVic article on my research: https://www.uvic.ca/science/home/news/current/merged-galaxies-quench-star-formation.php
- 2023 Presentation to Lord Byng School’s Astronomy Club (Vancouver)
- 2023 Presentation at Centre of the Universe, Victoria
- 2023 CITA Jamboree speaker on time management
- 2023 Post-show presentation for “Silent Sky” theatre production Langham Court Theatre
- 2024 Café Scientifique public talk
- 2024 'A brief history of galaxies', Berwick seniors residence
