The Faculty

Dr. Don McCarthy, Director of Astronomy Camp, is an Astronomer and Lecturer at Steward Observatory of The University of Arizona. His research specialities center on infrared astronomy, techniques for removing atmospheric blurring (interferometry and adaptive optics), and direct imaging searches for planets around other stars. He also leads the Education and Public Outreach program for the University's Near-Infrared Camera project for the future James Webb Space Telescope. He has directed the Astronomy Camps for 19 years.

Dr. McCarthy and his colleagues at Steward Observatory provide hands-on activities and lectures on topics ranging from the Solar System to Cosmology. Guest speakers come from such prestigious institutions as the National Optical Astronomy Observatories, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and the Planetary Science Institute. They provide a diversity of expertise from celestial mechanics and space missions to theoretical physics.

Undergraduate and graduate astronomy students serve as camp counselors. Many of these students are former Campers and come from other Universities. Dr. McCarthy and the counselors are with the campers full-time.

Don McCarthy with one of his liquid nitrogen "experiments."

• Don McCarthy, Astronomer, 1976 PhD from Steward Observatory: Infrared Astronomy, Future Very Large Telescopes, Interferometry; Active & Adaptive Optics, Brown Dwarfs & Extra-solar Planets
• Ana Biscaya, PhD in astronomy from Steward Observatory: Star Formation.
• Tim Bowers, Teaches Physics in Flagstaff, AZ. Majored in Physics and Science Education at The University of Arizona where he was a Flinn Scholar: Mars, variable stars.
• AJ Carver, 2006 graduate in Physics at University of Wisconsin.
• Yvette Cendes, Undergraduate Physics major at Case Western Reserve University.
• Diana Johnson Copenbarger, 1991 graduate in Physics and Astronomy at Steward Observatory, Masters in Astronomy at University of Rochester, now the Shot Director at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics in Rochester, NY: Brown Dwarfs and Low Mass Stars
• Jennifer Dannemiller, 2001 graduate in Science Education in Chemistry from The University of Arizona, now teaching science at the Accelerated Learning Academy in Tucson: Chemistry
• Kim Dow, Masters degree in Astronomy from Steward Observatory: Orbiting Satellite Debris
• Jason Fields, Staff scientist at the Aerospace Corp. Majored in Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin at Madison: The Night Sky, Telescopes, Mars
• Rose Finn, Assistant Professor of physics/astronomy at Siena College, NY. Received her PhD in Astronomy at Steward Observatory: Quasars and Extragalactic Astronomy, Astronomical Instrumentation, Astronomy Education
• Becky Fox, PhD Student in Animal Behavior at UC Davis: Exo-Biology, Comets, Avian Science
• Lucia Galvan, Academic Coordinator at Tecnologico de Monterrey school; Hermosillo, Son., Mexico
• Melissa Giovanni, PhD student in Geosciences at UCLA: Mars
• Leissa Glennie, 1996 graduate in Physics and Astronomy at Steward Observatory and a teaching certificate, now an Applications Engineer at ASM Lithography, a semiconductor company in Phoenix: Mars
• Chris Groppi, Staff Scientist at Steward Observatory. Received his PhD student in astronomy from Steward Observatory: Sub-Millimeter Wave Astronomy, the South Pole
• Todd Henry, 1991 PhD in astronomy from Steward Observatory, now Professor at Georgia State University: The Solar Neighborhood, Stellar Masses, Extra-solar Planets
• Joannah Hinz,Staff Scientist in the MIPS research group of the Sptizer Space Telescope. Received her Ph.D. in astronomy at Steward Observatory: Galaxies, Brown Dwarfs
• , 2000 PhD in astronomy from Steward Observatory: Extra-solar Planets, Nulling Interferometry, Adaptive Optics
• Eric Hooper, 1997 PhD in astronomy from Steward Observatory, now a postdoc at The University of Texas at Austin: Radio, Far-Infrared, and Optical Properties of Quasars and the Nature of Quasar Host Galaxies and Cluster Environments
• Sarah Jaeggli, PhD student in Astronomy and Solar Phsyics at the University of Hawaii. majored in Astronomy and Physics at The University of Arizona: The Sun
• Teresa Longazo Jiles , Telescope Operator at the Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) on Mt. Graham Observatory. 2000 graduate in Geophysics from Arizona State University. Formerly worked at NASA's Johnson Space Center Astrobiology Center: The Surfaces of Mars and Venus
• Susan Kern, 2005 PhD in Planetary Astronomy from MIT. 2000 graduate in Physics, Astronomy, and Religious Studies from The University of Arizona: the Kuiper Belt, Pluto
• Davy Kirkpatrick, 1993 PhD in astronomy from Steward Observatory, now at Infrared Astrophysics Data Center at Caltech: Brown Dwarfs, Extra-solar Planets
• Karen Knierman, PhD student in astronomy at Steward Observatory: Galaxies
• Craig Kulesa, 2002 PhD in astronomy from Steward Observatory: Molecular clouds, star formation, interacting galaxies, interstellar spectroscopy.
• Joanna Levine, 2006 PhD in astronomy from the University of Florida: Star Formation
• Debbie McCarthy, Doctoral student in Education at UCLA. Received her Masters degree student at University of Wisconsin at Madison: Curriculum and Instruction, Science Education
• Nicole Miklus, 2006 Master's degree in Geoscience at Kent State: Paleo Climates
• Jackie Monkiewicz, PhD student in astronomy at Steward Observatory: Galaxies
• Katie Moore, Obtaining a Masters Degree in Science Education from George Mason University. Majored in Math and Astronomy at The University of Arizona: Amateur Astronomy
• Sally Oey, 1995 PhD in astronomy from Steward Observatory, Assistant Astronomer at Lowell Observatory: Massive Stars and Their Interation With the Interstellar Medium
• Sarah O'Brien, 1997 graduate in Physics and Astronomy at Steward Observatory, now a Research Analyst at Arete Associates in Tucson: Star Formation
• Diana Perry, Majored in Chemical Engineering at The University of Arizona. Also a Taekwondo instructor.
• Tim Pickering, 1998 PhD in astronomy from University of Arizona, now a facility scientist at the Multiple Mirror Telescope Observatory: Optical and Radio Properties of Low Surface Brightness Galaxies, X-ray properties of Quasars
• Paul Readly, Majored in Plant Science at University of Pennsylvania
• Jeff Regester, Teaches Physics at Greensboro High School, NC. 1993 Master's degree in astronomy from Steward Observatory, former Engineer and Lab Instructor at Wellesley College: Astronomy Education, Brown Dwarfs
• Greg Rudnick, Assistant Astronomer at National Optical Astronomy Observatories. 2001 PhD in astronomy, Steward Observatory: Anything Involving Galaxies
• Wayne Schlingman, PhD student in astronomy at Steward Observatory: Star and planet formation
• Gail Schneller, Physics & Astronomy graduate 1997, University of Arizona now at Microsoft in Washington state: Planetary Astronomy & engineering
• Elizabeth Waterhouse, 2001 graduate from Harvard in Physics & Astronomy. Received her MFA in dance from Ohio State University: Cosmology
• Shelley Witte, Undergraduate Education major at University of Wisconsin.
• Patrick Young, Postdoctoral Fellow at Steward Observatory and Los Alamos National Labs. Received his Ph.D. in astronomy at Steward Observatory: Stellar Evolution
• Abby Youngblood, 1997 graduate in Physics from Bryn Mawr, now studying Environmental Engineering: Stars and Galaxies

Administrative/special services staff:

• Lisa Roubal, University of Arizona Alumni Association: Camp Administration
• Bob Peterson, Telescope Operations Manager, Steward Observatory: Administration of Telescopes and Sites
• Jim Grantham, Site Supervisor, Steward Observatory Catalina Mountains Station: Telescope and Site Operations and Maintenance

Back to the Astronomy Camp Home Page.

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Last modified: Sunday December 31, 2006