Stacy Palen

Dr. Stacy Palen is an award-winning professor in the Physics Department and the Director of the Ott Planetarium at Weber State University in Ogden, UT. She received her BS in physics from Rutgers University and her PhD in physics from the University of Iowa. Since joining Weber State, she has been very active in science outreach activities ranging from star parties to classroom visits to an appearance on NPR's Science Friday.

First and foremost, Stacy considers herself a teacher. As a lecturer and post-doc at the University of Washington, she taught Introductory Astronomy more than 20 times in 4 years. This intense experience allowed her to perform a rapid proto-typing of ideas and methods, often making changes to improve her approach or her activities between one hour and the next. During this experimentation, she quickly realized that what mattered most was what the students were doing in the classroom, not what she was doing. This led to a style of teaching that is firmly based on active engagement and learning-by-doing.

Outside of the formal classroom, she is deeply involved in mentoring students in research and public outreach, including the production of full-dome video for the planetarium dome environment. This work keeps her connected both with the research happening in the astronomical community, and the challenges of teaching and learning in the K-12 environment. Ott Planetarium productions are known for their scientifically accurate visualizations, and their sensitivity to varied modes of learning and childhood developmental stages.

Even further outside the formal classroom, she teaches horses and riders the art of dressage, and has a particular gift for helping adult riders overcome their fears and become more confident. This teaching informs her teaching in the classroom and in her textbooks, because it makes very clear the connection between relaxation and confidence and the ability to learn. A thoughtful step-by-step progression is common to teaching of all kinds, and she brings that methodical approach to her books as well.