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UW alumnus develops astronomy outreach program for underserved students: Keivan Stassun
UW alumnus develops astronomy outreach program for underserved students: Keivan Stassun
- Jan. 23, 2017
Graduating with a doctorate in astronomy from UW–Madison in 2000, Keivan Stassun has built a career dedicated to advancing our understanding of the cosmos through research, teaching, and outreach. He is now a professor at Vanderbilt University and is an adjunct instructor at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.
Stassun’s current research focuses on the processes that lead to the birth and evolution of stars in different planetary systems.
During his time at UW-Madison, he became passionate about public outreach and minority representation in the sciences. Starting in 1998, Stassun developed an astronomy outreach program called Scopes for Schools, which is a low-cost, field tested model for astronomers to conduct outreach aimed at minority and other underserved students, with an emphasis on curriculum development and on professional development for teachers.
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