For more information and to
view a list of past seminars, visit the HEPL/KiPAC

Experimental Seminars Page

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Deborah K. Scherrer

Solar Center, Solar Observatories Group,
HEPL

From Casablanca to Juvenile Hall

Abstract: Spectroscopes, VLF receivers, Africa, h-alpha telescopes, weather balloons, NSF/NASA/the United Nations, and juvenile hall.... What do all these have in common?

Each plays a role in education programs developed and implemented by the Stanford Solar Center, the education and public outreach arm of the Solar Observatories Group. Deborah will give an overview of their recent programs, highlighting materials, goals and outcomes, and experiences during her outreach visits to Ethiopia, Zambia, and Morocco. She hopes to encourage other research groups to participate in outreach activities. She'll provide photos and samples of outreach materials for hands-on examination.

Bio: Deborah K. Scherrer is founder and director of the Stanford SOLAR Center, the education and public outreach arm for the Solar Observatories Group at Stanford University. She has developed and managed Education and Public Outreach programs for NASA's SOHO mission, SDO mission, and NSF's Center for Integrated Space Weather Modeling, amongst others. She headed a United Nations International Heliophysical Year program which placed over 300 solar monitoring instruments in high schools throughout the world. Deborah has served as the chair of the American Geophysical Union's
Space Physics and Aeronomy Education and Public Outreach Committee. She and colleagues have given science education workshops in Ethiopia, Zambia, and Morocco. Deborah did not shoot holes in her walls as a child nor set off chemical explosions in the basement. When she decided she wanted to attend Cal Tech, she was told they didn't accept women. So she opted for a career in Computer Science instead.

Time: 4:00pm – 5:30pm

Location: Applied Physics Building (04-230) 316 Via Pueblo Mall, Room 200 Map

Light refreshments available 4:00pm; Presentation begins 4:15pm.

Open to All