I am a physicist!
I defended my PhD in experimental nuclear physics in 2016 from Michigan State University. Since completing my PhD I’ve worked in the field of physics education research (PER), with a particular focus on informal education, public engagement, and workforce development.
From 2016 to 2026, I worked at the University of Colorado Boulder, both as Director of Public Engagement for the JILA NSF Physics Frontier Center and as Director of Education and Workforce Development for the Q-SEnSE NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute. In June 2026, I left CU Boulder to start a new venture with some colleagues: a science education consulting firm, Antama Science Engagement Partners.
Some of My Work
At Antama, my job is to help support scientists science educators in creating and communicating societal impact. With over a decade of professional experience in building programs, assessing and evaluating them for impact, writing grants, and building successful collaborations, I am really lucky to be able to bring that experience to bear in support of our scientific community.
Some examples of my previous work include directing and growing the Partnerships for Informal Science Education in the Community (PISEC) program at JILA, designing the CU Boulder Quantum Forge capstone course, building Q-SEnSE’s QRX Quantum Professional Development Program through collaboration with the Colorado Community College System, and designing and hosting the inaugural Quantum Education and Policy Summit to facilitate field-wide collaboration on quantum education and workforce development.
In 2024, I helped write publish a quantum workforce roadmap for the state of Colorado, which emphasizes the need to empower “quantum-conversant” workers in addition to quantum experts. I’ve also been active in multiple science education communities, including being a founding member of the Joint Network for Informal Physics Education and Research (JNIPER) and participating in the Elevate Quantum Workforce Collaborative (EQWC). I have published a couple of book chapters (1,2) on informal physics education, and was featured in APS news in 2025.
What Do I Care About?
Especially right now, it is more important than ever for scientists to demonstrate that they both understand and care about the impact our work has on the public. There are plenty of science organizations pushing “science advocacy” as a buzzword for lobbying for funding, and building initiatives designed only to enrich the scientific enterprise. I care about ensuring that scientists advocate not just for ourselves and our own funding, but for the public, for the people whose lives our work impacts and whose money funds our work. Thus, I work hard in everything I do professionally to ensure that the field develops to be more equitable, accessible, just, and inclusive.
When I worked at CU, my job was to create pathways for learners to enter science, through the creation and direction of both formal and informal STEM learning programs. I have a passion for ensuring full participation in science and I am extremely excited to now have a job where I am unfettered in my ability to work in the best interests of those for whom scientific activity is not always received as beneficial or caring.
“Wow, You Seem ‘Cool!’ But Do You Do Anything Except Work?”
I’m a well-rounded human, I promise! When I’m not working, I am a huge craft cocktail fan and love to explore both new cocktail bars (RIP Green Russell) and local distilleries (shout out to Spirit Hound!). I love to tell stories and recently completed a five-year stint as Dungeon Master for my Dungeons & Dragons group — D&D also helps me scratch the musical theatre itch that I haven’t found a full substitute for since graduating college, although Friday-night karaoke helps too. I also enjoy climbing and have recently gotten into weight lifting, which helps me make sure that I’m not doing the kind of “weight-lifting” that happens when I don’t exercise.
