Stacy E. Palen

Weber State University * 2508 University Circle * Ogden, UT * 84408-2508
(801)626-7030
spalen@weber.edu
(last updated, October, 2007)

Education
PhD Physics: University of Iowa, July, 1998
MS Astronomy: University of Iowa, May 1996
BA Physics: Rutgers University, May, 1993

• Crystal Crest Master Teacher, Weber State University, 2006
• Best of State University Professor, Utah, 2005
• Obtained $1,000,000 grant in NASA federal appropriations to a) produce K-12 planetarium content specific to the states' core curricula, b) add a large (208-node) computing cluster to extend the Ott Planetarium's rendering capability, and c) improve SMET outreach to the public in Utah.
• Obtained ~$200,000 to upgrade the Ott Planetarium, installing a new, digital projector system, and upgrading facilities.
• Wrote a $200,000 proposal to establish the Undergraduate Astronomy Institute at the University of Washington. The Undergraduate Astronomy Institute is on-line at tamiel98.astro.washington.edu/uaiweb
• Wrote a basic text in introductory astronomy: Schaum's Outlines of Astronomy, McGraw-Hill.
• Involved undergraduates in research using national facilities such as Hubble Space Telescope and the Very Long Baseline Array.
• Created an innovative set of computer aided teaching materials used by TAs and instructors all over the world. These materials may be viewed on-line at www.astro.washington.edu/labs/clearinghouse/
• Conducted and published original research on planetary nebulae and late-type stars, at many different wavelengths (optical, infrared and radio), using single-slit, echelle, imaging, and interferometric techniques.
• Wrote a lab manual and associated CD-ROM for Astronomy 101 using the Automated Telescope Facility at the University of Iowa.

• Planetarium Learning and New Education Technology, $1,000,000 (granted, 2005)
  • (see description above)
• Planetarium Digital Upgrade, $110,000 (granted, 2004)
  • (see description above) Total cost of the project, $200,000.
• Undergraduate Research Award $2712.50 (Spring, 2006)
  • To write new programming for the tertiary body search. Undergraduate collaborator: Michael Malmrose
• Undergraduate Research Award $3492 (Spring, 2006)
  • To acquire a receiver for the scavenged radio telescope that Michael Simpson is building. Undergraduate collaborator: Michael Simpson
• Undergraduate Research Award $750 (Spring, 2006)
  • A group project to investigate parameters of tuning forks. Undergraduate collaborators: James Aston, Milt Poll, Ron Proctor
• RS&PG $960 (Spring, 2006)
  • Travel award for AAS meeting
• Hemingway Faculty Excellence $8,979 (Fall, 2005)
  • To translate, record and distribute Spanish-language editions of planetarium shows, including the perennial favorite 'Secret of the Cardboard Rocket' (i.e. 'El Secreto del Cohete de Carton'). Collaborators include the Clark Planetarium. Total cost of the project $25,500.
• Undergraduate Research Award $ (Spring, 2005)
  • Ron's ed project
• Beishline Fellowship $12,000 (Spring, 2004)
  • undergraduate collaborator: Adam Reynolds, Spring, 2004. Purpose: to develop a parallel-processing protocol which allows users to submit jobs to an Xgrid system, run them on a number of machines simultaneously, insert the results into a database, and reference that database as necessary. The goal is to make this as general as possible, so that it may be used by a large number of researchers. Work finished 5/2005.
• Undergraduate Research Award $3,000 (Spring, 2004)
  • To search for tertiary companions to binary stars. Undergraduate collaborator: Ben Edinger
• Burkhardt Award $4,000 (Spring, 2003)
  • undergraduate collaborator Adam Reynolds
• Dee Family Technology Grant $3,600 (Summer, 2003)
  • undergraduate collaborator: Adam Reynolds Summer, 2003. Purpose: to produce a suite of astronomical tools for use by undergraduates for the calibration and reduction of astronomical data. Work finished 9/2003.
• Tools for Transformation, $64,000 (granted, 1999)
  • Created Astronomy 101 Clearinghouse: astronomy activities, homeworks and labs.
  • Collaborator: Craig Hogan
• Student Technology Fee, $193,000 (granted, 2000)
  • Start-up equipment grant to build optical and radio telescopes for undergraduate research.
  • Also included are spectacular computer facilities for theoretical work and data analysis.
  • Collaborators: Sean Doyle, Dawn Erb, Jeremiah Murphy (undergrads), Chris Stubbs, Paula Szkody (professors)

• 2006: Crystal Crest Master Teacher, Weber State University
• 2005: Hemingway Faculty Excellence, Weber State University
• 2005: Best of State University Professor, Utah
• 1993: Department of Energy Fellow
• 1989: Charles C. Smith Educational Foundation Scholar

• Aug 2002-present: Weber State University: Assistant Professor, Physics Department
• 1998-2002: University of Washington: Post-doc/Lecturer, Astronomy Department
• 1994-1998: University of Iowa: Teaching/Research Assistant
• 1995-1998: University of Iowa: Curriculum Development/Technical Writer

• 2006-present: Member, Environmental Initiatives Committee, Weber State University
• 2005-present: Treasurer, Sigma Xi, Weber State University Chapter
• 2004-2007: Member, Astronomy Education Board, American Astronomical Society
• 2004-2005: Member, Planning Initiative II Task Force, Weber State University
• 2003-present: Director, Ott Planetarium and Physics Observatory
• 2003-2008: Member, Clark Planetarium Board of Directors
• 1998-present: Various Outreach Activities: Visits to schools, career days, interviews, talks to amateur groups, etc. Of order 20 activities per year.
• 2001: "A Responsive PhD": invited to serve on an interdisciplinary committee to create pilot projects in doctoral education under the Woodrow Wilson Initiative.
• 2001: "The Graduate Program Committee": served on a sub-committee to evaluate and improve the graduate curriculum in the Astronomy Department at the University of Washington.
• 2001: "Issues in Introductory Astronomy": served on committee of national Astronomy Department chairs (as a proxy for Craig Hogan) in discussing issues concerning introductory astronomy courses. Sponsored by AAS, NSF.
• 2000: "Earth-Space Standards Study" committee: together with professors from other departments, devised a series of curricular pathways through new Earth-Space standards for elementary school teachers.

Refereed Journal Publications

• Hajian, A. et al. 2007, 'An Atlas of [NII] and [OIII] Images and Spectra of Planetary Nebulae', ApJS, 169, 289
• Palen, S. 2006, 'Preparing High Quality Professionals for Science Outreach', Science Education at the Crossroads Conference Proceedings
• Palen, S. and Proctor, A. 2006, 'Astronomy in the K-8 Core Curriculum: A Survey of State Requirements Nationwide.' AEdRv, 5, 23
• Palen, S., Balick, B., Hajian, A. R., Terzian, Y., Bond, H. E., & Panagia, N. 2002, 'Hubble Space Telescope Expansion Parallaxes of the Planetary Nebulae NGC 6578, NGC 6884, NGC 6891, and IC 2448' AJ, 123, 2666
• Stanghellini, L., Shaw, R. A., Mutchler, M., Palen, S., Balick, B., & Blades, J. C. 2002, 'Optical Slitless Spectroscopy of Large Magellanic Cloud Planetary Nebulae: A Study of the Emission Lines and Morphology' ApJ, 575, 178
• Palen, S. 2001, 'Polarization and Extent of Maser Emission from Late-Type Stars: Support for a Plasma Turbulence Model of Maser Production' ApJL, 547, L57
• Palen, S. & Fix, J. D. 2000, 'Models of OH Maser Variations in U Herculis' ApJ, 531, 391
• Palen, S. E. 'Effecting Global Change', The Universe in the Classroom. 48, 1, 1999.
• Palen, S. 1999, 'Investigation of the Causes of the Variations of the OH Masers of U Herculis' PASP, 111, 378

Books, Manuals and Electronic Media

• Palen, S. Schaum's Outline of Astronomy, McGraw-Hill, 2001
• Palen, S. E. The Astronomy 101 Clearinghouse, 1999
• Mutel, R. L. and Palen, S. E. Imaging the Universe: A Laboratory Manual for Introductory Astronomy Students Hayden-McNeil, 1997
• Mutel, R. L., Palen, S. E. and Downey, E. C. Imaging the Universe: Software and Images (CD-ROM), University of Iowa, 1997