Dr. Jennifer A. Grier

Outreach Experience and Activities

 

 

Judge for Science Fairs and Proposals


Awards Judge - Magee Middle School, 1998-2000, Tucson, AZ.
Judged approximately 25-30 science fair projects each year in the areas of earth and space sciences for sixth through eighth grade students at Magee Middle School.

Travel Grant Committee - Graduate and Prof. Student Council, 1997, Univ. of AZ, Tucson, AZ.
Judged over 200 proposals over the course of the year. About one third were selected to receive limited funds from the Graduate college at the University of Arizona to deliver research papers at conferences in their respective disciplines.

Awards Judge - St. Michael's and All Angles School, 1997, 1998, Tucson, AZ.
Judged approximately 25 science fair projects in all areas of the sciences for fourth grade students at St. Michael's and All Angels School.

Grand Awards Judge - International Science and Engineering Fair 1996, Tucson Comm. Center, Tucson, AZ.
Judged approximately 40 science fair projects predominantly in the areas of astronomy, geology and planetary science from 9th to 12th grade students at the ISEF held in Tucson. This is an extremely large and prestigious international competition with thousands of dollars in scholarships awarded.

Awards Judge - NASA Student Essay Contest, 1993, 1994, Flandrau Planetarium, Tucson, AZ.
Judged over 150 essays each year from third to 12th grade students. Student essays consisted of proposals for possible space science experiments and missions.

 


Instructional and Educational Activities

 

Supervisor/Co-Mentor - Space Grant Undergraduate Internship Program:  Univ. of Arizona (1999-2000).  Served as co-mentor with Alfred McEwen to an undergraduate science research intern for the entire academic year.  Responsible for day-to-day supervision and instruction of student including basic planetary science concepts and UNIX as well as specific software for data acquisition.  Student presented a summary of the year's research at the National Space Grant Symposium

Mentor - Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Univ. of Arizona (July 15 - Agust 12, 2000). Mentored and supervised a high school student interested in Mars and the Moon for a senior research project. Responsible for directing all basic research of the student, instructing her in use of local computer systems, and introducing her to planetary geology and image analysis concepts. Student prepared a research paper based on her work for the Intel Scholarship competition.

Teaching Assistant -   Planetary Sciences Department and Astronomy Department , Univ. of Arizona (1989-90, 92-95).  Taught an independent laboratory course (up to 100 students) and acted as teaching assistant for formal lecture courses in planetary sciences (up to 150 students).  Coursework focused on movements of the planets, seasons, observations of the Moon, seismicity, radioactive dating, stellar evolution, the celestial sphere, phases of the Moon, observations of celestial objects, and spacecraft exploration.  Delivered lectures, graded quizzes, tests, papers, and projects, designed and implemented new curricula and projects.  Obtained excellent student evaluations.

Support Specialist - Tech Editor/Desktop Publisher: EMA Inc. Tucson, Arizona. (1991-1992).  Instructed and supported engineering and managerial staff in production of readable, professional technical documents.  Delivered presentations on resources available to support staff and engineers for document production and processing.  Learned new software and computer techniques as necessary, and then trained staff in their use.  Edited technical documents and proposals, and produced graphics, drawings, graphs and charts.

Telescope Operator - under Dr. Tom Swihart, Steward Observ., Univ. of Arizona (1987-1990).  Operated the University's 21 inch and 4 inch telescopes for students and the general public.  Explained characteristics and origin of objects viewed through the telescopes, such as galaxies, comets and planets.  Assisted in maintaining telescope and kept detailed observing logs.

 

 

University Community Outreach and Volunteer Activities

 

Program Committee, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory Conference, LPLC, 1998-99 

Contributed as one of three key program committee members for the LPLC conference in 1998 and 1999.  The 1998 meeting was the inaugural, groundbreaking conference for a department of over 300 employees, more than 80 of which attended the conference held at the Hacienda del Sol resort.  All sound, projectors, overheads, screens, poster boards, setup, food (breakfast, lunch, and breaks as well as send off reception) abstract submissions, abstract volume production, tags, etc., were handled and organized directly by the key program committee.  Overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees subsequently initiated the event as a permanent, yearly function. Edited the abstract volume and program schedule the first year of the conference.

 

Graduate Offices and Positions, 1993-1999

Offered services in several volunteer positions in the Department of Planetary Sciences related to graduate life, including:  three times student Journal Club Chair, Graduate Representative to the Faculty and twice Visiting Prospective Student Coordinator.  Active in the annual Holiday Party organization.  Initiated a bi-weekly discussion of science and related issues amongst the graduate students called the Graduate Forum.  Offered assistance to the program committee of the 1996 Annual meeting of the AAS-DPS held in Tucson, AZ that year.

 

Field Trip Coordinator, 1997 

Proposed a budget, as well as a list of scientific goals to be accomplished related to a geology field trip for graduate students to Yellowstone National Park.  The proposal was accepted, and a budget of eventually $11,000.00 was allotted for dispersal to obtain airline tickets, rental vans, permits, and all other necessary items for the excursion.  A total of 30 people attended the trip. Compiled and edited a handbook/guide document detailing the scientific issues addressed (for possible future publication).

 

Bratfest Organizer, 1996 

Bratfest is a very large annual social function associated with the Department of Planetary Sciences at the University of Arizona.  This function is entirely self supporting and non-profit.  Each year all of the funds (in 1996 more than $5,500.00) need to be raised by donations and T-shirt sales, and dispersed to cover the cost of ice, bratwurst, cheesecakes, drinks, gas, etc.  In 1996, I was responsible for coordinating the entire event, including organizing all of the fundraising activities, keeping all records, creating and maintaining the budget, and collecting and dispersing all funds.

 

Thank-a-thon Participant, 1997

Volunteered to staff telephones at the College of Science annual Thank-a-thon.  I represented the Department of Planetary Sciences to alumni who had contributed funds for research and scholarships in the College of Science, explained to them the many ways in which their contributions were to be used, and thanked them for their support.

 

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Prepared by Jennifer A. Grier
Last Modified: July 11, 2000

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