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Outreach

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I believe that the scientific method cannot fulfill its goal unless the knowledge generated by research is articulated to society at an accessible level. Therefore, I consider science outreach an essential ingredient of doing science, which improves scientific literacy in society, strengthens public enthusiasm and support for science against pseudoscience, and respects the universality of scientific knowledge. This motivates me to do science outreach by communicating and advocating the scientific method.

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AstroScholarSTL

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My main outreach initiative currently is the AstroScholarSTL program.

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Astronomy on Tap St. Louis

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My group organizes Astronomy on Tap St. Louis, which we typically hold in Midtown St. Louis, where we invite researchers to give engaging talks on topics across astronomy and astrophysics. If you wish to nominate a speaker, please let me know at astronomyontapstl@gmail.com.

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AAS240 Workshop: Engaging the Public in Exoplanet Science Through the Legacy of TESS

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Successful science communication requires a systematic approach that accounts for the cognitive biases and efficiently uses visuals to convey information. Towards this end, helping professional scientists develop science outreach methods, materials, and skills is an essential ingredient of science outreach.

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With the immense help of two research advisee graduate students, Emma Chickles and Yadira Gaibor at MIT, I organized a workshop on science communication using exoplanets and TESS. The workshop was awarded an American Astronomical Society (AAS) Education & Professional Development grant and held at the 240th AAS meeting in Pasadena, CA, on June 11, 2022. The details of the workshop can be found here. Below are the five presentations that were delivered during the workshop.

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Introduction: Exoplanet Outreach with TESS (Tansu Daylan, Princeton University)

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Public misconceptions (Emma Chickles, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

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Data visualization (Yadira Gaibor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

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TESS Guest Investigators Office (Rebekah Hounsell, UMBC / NASA GSFC)

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NASA TESS Communications (Claire Andreoli, NASA GSFC)

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Citizen Science with Planet Hunters TESS (Nora Eisner, University of Oxford)

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Science outreach activities during postdoc and PhD

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I have been involved in several science outreach projects in the US and in Turkey.

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• Boston Museum of Science Public Talk Series, Boston, MA, 2019

• Cape Cod Astronomical Society Meeting, South Yarmouth, Cambridge, MA, 2017

• Science In The News Public Science Lecture Series, Cambridge, MA, 2016

• Beacon Hill Seminars, Cambridge, MA, 2014-2017

• Science In The News Public Science Lecture Series, Cambridge, MA, 2014

• Science In The News Blog, Cambridge, MA, 2014

• There is a Scientist in My Classroom, Cambridge, MA, 2013

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