From Astronomical Research to Communicating Astronomy

Dr. Xinnan Du
Stanford

Darwin 103
3:00 PM

        Astronomy, sometimes considered a gateway science, can stir great curiosity and inspire students to pursue a STEM-related career. I was trained as an astronomer specialized in spectroscopy of distant galaxies, before deciding to change my focus from galaxies to people. In this talk, I’ll share what is intriguing about those faraway galaxies, as well as my own journey transitioning from a researcher to an outreach professional who is still exploring this new career path step by step. I’ll also discuss some challenges, difficult decisions, and lessons learned along the way.