GRADUATE
SCHOOL

Columbia University, New York, NY

Research Projects September, 2001 - present

3#3

Habitability of terrestrial planets

3#3

Difficult-to-measure properties of extrasolar giant planets (rotation rate of transiting planets, composition of planets near the galactic center)

3#3

Discovery and analysis of the nearest microlensing event

3#3

Search for X-ray emission from galaxy groups at redshift 2#2

3#3

Feasibility of observing the warm-hot intergalactic medium in absorption against a QSO

3#3

Diagnostic models of horizontal/vertical structure in Jupiter's vortices

Instructor September 2001 - Summer 2005

3#3

Named ``Outstanding Teaching Assistant'' (2005)

3#3

Head Teaching Assistant (9/2003 - 5/2004)

3#3

Designed the curriculum for, taught, and graded my section of undergraduate astronomy lab course. Also ran a weekly help session for the introductory astronomy lecture course. (Sept. 01 - May 04)

3#3

Ran weekly recitation section for introductory astrophysics cource for astronomy majors. Helped design and grade homework problem sets and exams. (9/2004 - 12/2004)

3#3

Excellent student evaluations
(http://www.culpa.info/?root=psearch&process=viewprof&prof=2467&target=spiegel)

Outreach September 2001 - present
Since my first year of graduate school, I have been actively involved in bringing astronomy to the public. As such, I have participated in and planned Public Observing nights and Family Astro days. For the last 4 years, I was co-coordinator of the Columbia Astronomy Department's outreach programs. This has involved recruiting and training other graduate students, postdocs, and faculty, to help with our outreach activities. Furthermore, I have sought out elementary, middle, and high school groups and planned astronomy activities with them. I helped to plan and develop a pilot program in astronomy enrichment with the 7th grade class at the Anderson School in Manhattan.