Education
The Pennsylvania State University
Doctoral Program in the Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics
August 2013 – Present
University of Washington
B.S. in Astronomy and Physics, with Distinction in Astronomy
September 2005 – June 2009
Research and Work Experience
Graduate Research Assistant
Advisor: Dr. Jane Charlton, The Pennsylvania State University
August 2013 – Present
Photometric analysis of tidal tail stellar populations, including low surface brightness measurements and point source photometry.
Graduate Research Assistant
Advisor: Dr. Jane Charlton, The Pennsylvania State University
August 2015 – Present
Long term monitoring of intrinsic narrow absorption lines and mini-broad absorption lines in quasars, using archival Keck HIRES and VLT UVES data.
Operations Specialist
LIGO Hanford Observatory
August 2009 – July 2013
Operation of 4k interferometer. Installation and maintenance of the primary 200W laser and its ancillary components. Installation of auxiliary calibration laser.
Laser Safety Officer
LIGO Hanford Observatory
August 2011 – July 2013
Maintenance and enforcement of LIGO Hanford’s laser safety program. Development of advanced laser safety training course for experienced users.
Teaching Experience
Instructor of Record
ASTRO 005, The Sky and Planets, The Pennsylvania State University
Fall 2018
Instructor for introductory non-major astronomy course, with a focus on planetary astronomy.
Instructor of Record
ASTRO 001, Astronomical Universe, The Pennsylvania State University
Summer 2017
Instructor for introductory, non-major astronomy course.
Mentor
Upward Bound Math and Science Program, The Pennsylvania State University
May 2016 – July 2016
Mentor for two high school students for Summer research project. Students won first place in their division.
Instructor of Record
ASTRO 011, Elementary Astronomy Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University
Fall 2014; Spring 2015
Instructor for introductory, non-major astronomy computer lab course.
Teaching Assistant
ASTRO 402, Astronomical Telescopes, Techniques, and Data Analysis, The Pennsylvania State University
Spring 2015
Teaching assistant for upper-level astronomy/planetary science lab course.
Teaching Assistant
ASTRO 320, Observational Astronomy Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University
Fall 2014
Teaching assistant for upper-level astronomy lab course.
Guest Lectures
ASTRO 140, Life in the Universe, The Pennsylvania State University
September 13th, 2016
ASTRO 001, Astronomical Universe, The Pennsylvania State University
July 26th, 2016
ASTRO 402, Astronomical Telescopes, Techniques, and Data Analysis, The Pennsylvania State University
March 4th, 2015
ASTRO 402, Astronomical Telescopes, Techniques, and Data Analysis, The Pennsylvania State University
February 24th, 2015
ASTRO 402, Astronomical Telescopes, Techniques, and Data Analysis, The Pennsylvania State University
February 2nd, 2014
ASTRO 320, Observational Astronomy Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University
September 30th, 2013
Outreach Experience
Astronomy on Tap State College Co-founder
April 2017 – Present
Co-founded the State College chapter of Astronomy on Tap with graduate student Jacob Luhn. Organize talks, trivia, and logistical requirements for monthly events at Happy Valley Brewing Co.
Available on: Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube
Outreach Co-chair
Graduate Women In Science (GWIS)
May 2015 – May 2016
Coordinate outreach activities with Penn State Science Outreach department and GWIS. Create new experiments and build new demos to use for outreach events.
Public talks
“Detecting Gravitational Waves With LIGO”
The Origin and Fate of Our Cosmos: Understanding Big Bang Cosmology, July 24th, 2019, University Park, PA
AstroNight, October 14th, 2017; October 15th, 2016, University Park, PA
AstroFest, July 15th, 2017; July 12th, 2017; July 14th, 2016; July 16th, 2016, University Park, PA
Road Scholars, June 27th, 2017, University Park, PA
Astronomy on Tap, June 5th, 2017, State College, PA
Central PA Observers, March 3rd, 2016, University Park, PA
“Getting to the Moon with Kerbal Space Program”
Astronomy on Tap, July 22nd, 2019, State College, PA
“Astronomy in Movies: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”
AstroFest, July 11th, 2019, University Park, PA
AstroNight, October 20th, 2018, University Park, PA
“A Very Condensed History of the Space Race”
AstroFest, July 10th – 11th, 2019; July 11th – 13th, 2018; University Park, PA
Astronomy on Tap, Febraury 26th, 2018; State College, PA
Outreach events
Astronomy on Tap (acting as host/emcee), January 25th, 2021; December 14th, 2020; November 23rd, 2020; October 26th, 2020; September 28th, 2020; August 31st, 2020; July 27th, 2020; June 29th, 2020; February 24th, 2020; January 27th, 2020; December 9th, 2019; November 18th, 2019; October 21st, 2019; September 30th, 2019; August 26th, 2019; June 24th, 2019; May 20th, 2019; April 15th, 2019; February 11th, 2019; January 28th, 2019; December 10th, 2018; November 26th, 2018; October 29th, 2018; September 24th, 2018; August 27th, 2018; July 23rd, 2018; June 11th, 2018; May 14th, 2018; April 16th, 2018; March 19th, 2018; February 5th, 2018; December 11th, 2017; November 28th, 2017; October 30th, 2017; September 18th, 2017; August 16th, 2017; July 24th, 2017; May 15th, 2017; April 10th, 2017, State College, PA
AstroFest, August 16th, 2020; July 10th – 13th, 2019; July 11th – 14th 2018; July 12th – 15th, 2017; July 13th – 16th, 2016; July 8th – 11th, 2015; July 9th – 12th, 2014, University Park, PA
ENVISION: STEM Career Day for Young Girls (formerly Expanding Your Horizons STEM Career Day for Young Women), February 29th, 2020; January 26th, 2019; January 27th, 2018; January 28th, 2017; January 30th, 2016, University Park, PA
Penn State Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Rocket Launch, July 16th, 2019, Pennsylvania Furnace, PA
STEM Pillars Bellefonte, June 27th, 2019; May 8th, 2018; May 23rd, 2017, Bellefonte, PA
STEM Pillars Tyrone-Snyder, June 22nd, 2019, Tyrone, PA
STEM Pillars Discovery Space, May 18th, 2019; November 5th, 2017, State College, PA
STEM Pillars State College, May 11th, 2019; July 21st, 2018; May 20th, 2017, State College, PA
STEM Pillars Philipsburg, May 9th, 2019; April 19th, 2018; April 20th, 2017, Philipsburg, PA
Astronomy and Art, April 17th, 2019, University Park, PA
Centre Hall Elementary Community Science Night, April 9th, 2019; April 12th, 2017; April 27th, 2016, Centre Hall, PA
Exploration-U Bald Eagle, February 21st, 2019; December 5th, 2017; February 27th, 2017; February 25th, 2016, Bellefonte, PA
AstroNight, October 20th, 2018; October 14th, 2017; October 15th, 2016; October 17th, 2015; October 11th, 2014, University Park, PA
STEM Pillars Shavers Creek, September 22nd, 2018, Petersburg, PA
STEM Pillars Huntingdon, June 18th, 2018; April 17th, 2017, Huntingdon, PA
Exploration-U Bellefonte, November 14th, 2017; November 10th, 2016; November 10th, 2015, Bellefonte, PA
Haunted-U, October 23rd, 2016, University Park, PA
You Be The Chemist, April 23rd, 2016, University Park, PA
Exploration-U State College, March 23rd, 2016; March 24th, 2015, State College, PA
Easterly Parkway Elementary Science Fair, February 29th, 2016, State College, PA
Discovery Night, February 11th, 2016, State College, PA
Think Outside The Beaker, October 19th, 2015, University Park, PA
Astronomy Open House, September 18th, 2015; September 11th, 2015, University Park, PA
ArtsFest Kids Day, July 8th, 2015, University Park, PA
Girl Scout Science Variety Workshop, April 26th, 2015, University Park, PA
Awards
NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Graduate Fellowship, 2018; 2016
Sloan Scholar, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s Minority Ph.D. Program, 2016
Zaccheus Daniel Fellowship, 2015
Graham Award, 2014
Bunton-Waller Fellowship, 2013
Publications
“The Advanced LIGO Photon Calibrators”
Karki, S., et al. (including Rodruck, M.), 2016, Review of Scientific Instruments, 87, 114503
“A tale of two tails: exploring stellar populations in the tidal tails of NGC 3256”
Rodruck, M., Konstantopoulos, I., Knierman, K., et al. 2016, MNRAS, 461, 36
Accepted Observing Proposals
As PI
Stellar populations in tidal debris
Gemini, October 21st, 2019, 4.35 hours, GS-2019B-FT-106
Sky Flats for Diffuse Light Imaging
Gemini, April 13th, 2018, 5.4 hours, GS-2018A-Q-408
Stellar Populations in Tidal Tails
Gemini, November 21st, 2018, 5.5 hours, GS-2018B-FT-206
Star Clusters in Tidal Debris: A UV Survey of Stellar Populations, Galaxy Interactions, and Evolution
Hubble Space Telescope, June 26th, 2017, 16 orbits, GO-15083
Joint NOAO time of one night
Stellar Populations in Tidal Tails
Gemini, June 15th, 2017, 3.6 hours, GS-2017B-Q-55
Neutral Hydrogen in Tidal Tails: Probing the Extremes of Star Formation
EVLA, May 12th, 2017, 20 hours, VLA/17B-329
Joint Hubble Space Telescope time of four orbits
Stellar Populations in the Tidal Tails of NGC 1487
Gemini, August 22nd, 2016, 3.2 hours, GS-2016B-FT-4
What Makes a Tidal Tail?
Gemini, July 21st, 2016, 3.5 hours, GS-2016B-FT-2
As Co-PI
Dispersed Stellar Populations in Tidal Tails
Gemini, January 19th, 2018, 6.58 hours, GS-2018A-FT-202
Conferences and Presentations
Invited Talks
“Stellar populations in Tidal Tails”
February 1st, 2018
Arizona State University, Tempe, Az
Contributed Talks
“Star clusters in galactic tidal tails”
October 25th, 2019
Space Telescope Institute, Baltimore, MD
“Star Clusters in Tidal Debris”
January 10th, 2019
233rd AAS Meeting, Seattle, WA
“Searching for Variability of NV Intrinsic Narrow Absorption Line Systems”
January 4th, 2017
229th AAS Meeting, Grapevine, TX
“A Search for Variability of Intrinsic Narrow Absorption Line Systems in the Keck/HIRES and VLT/UVES Archives”
May 3rd, 2016
Great Lakes Quasar Symposium, London, ON
“A Tale of Two Tails: Exploring Stellar Populations in the Tidal Tails of NGC 3256”
January 5th, 2016
227th AAS Meeting, Kissimmee, FL
“Exploring stellar populations in NGC 3256”
January 20th, 2015
Departmental Lunch Talk, State College, PA
“Finding the Composition of a Tidal Tail”
July 21st, 2014
Compact Groups Meeting, London, ON
“A Look at Tidal Tail Star Formation and Composition”
May 8th, 2014
Departmental Lunch Talk, State College, PA
Posters
“Stellar Populations in Tidal Tails”
May 27th, 2019
Star Clusters: from the Milky Way to the Early Universe, Bologna, Italy
“Searching for Variability of NV Intrinsic Narrow Absorption Line Systems”
January 10th, 2018
231st AAS Meeting, National Harbor, MD
“Exploring Stellar Populations in the Tidal Tails of NGC3256”
January 5th, 2015
225th AAS Meeting, Seattle, WA
“What Makes a Tidal Tail?”
January 7th, 2014
223rd AAS Meeting, National Harbor, MD