by Pamela | May 9, 2007 | Events, Gifted and Talented
From August 7-11, I’ll be working with the Davidson Institute’s Young Scholars program to put on an online colloquium titled, “An Amazing and Expanding Universe in Motion.” Abstract: Looking for something entirely different? Take a tour through...
by Pamela | Apr 17, 2007 | Academic Politics, Teaching
Every university seeks to convince parents (and itself) that it is a safe place where learning and personal development are fostered in a protective yet stimulating environment. This is part of the myth of the Ivory Tower: we form the intellectual fortress where the...
by Pamela | Mar 20, 2007 | Observing, Teaching
I have to admit I have spring fever. I seem to have moved to a part of the country where the seasons actually follow the solstices and equinoxes, and politely divide themselves into 4 fairly equal parts. My crocuses are blooming, shorts are starting to appear on some...
by Pamela | Mar 10, 2007 | Planets, Teaching
In Astronomy we have two terrible patterns of words to try and remember. One is the order of the planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune (image left, credit: NASA). The other is the spectral types of stars: O, B, A, F, G, K, M. For both...
by Pamela | Feb 26, 2007 | Teaching
As an instructor I find that there are good days – days when my students remind me of why I selected my profession, and there are also bad days when small collections of specific students make me really frustrated. Most days, however, are just days where all of...
by Pamela | Feb 6, 2007 | Teaching
While I was at Michigan State University, we had a change of president. The new guy in charge (at that time – it’s changed again since then) was M. Peter McPherson (and, as he would tell you, McPherson rhymes with person). He came from a business...
