Katie Boyd

Education & Outreach Assistant - Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science Education & Outreach / University of Colorado

Education

University of Washington/Colorado State University

Atmospheric Science/Ecology/Education

Katie Boyd is part of NASA's Science Activation Program (SciAct). SciAct has projects and NASA teams across the U.S. that are helping learners of all ages do science!

What first sparked your interest in science, technology, engineering, and/or math?

Katie Boyd smiling for a professional portrait.

During college and graduate school, I became interested in science education and outreach, and worked with many groups helping the general public learn about weather and climate. I then returned to school and completed an interdisciplinary program with a focus on science education research. My professional interests include science education, outreach, and communication, specifically helping to build bridges between the scientific community and the public.

What Science Activation project(s) are you affiliated with?

Science Through Shadows (Fiske Planetarium).

The Science Through Shadows team works with students to develop a production process for creating short videos that show how the shadow of the Moon will appear on Earth during the 2023 and 2024 solar eclipses. Students also learn to document the shadows of distant asteroids and Kuiper belt objects that cross the Earth as they occult stars.

Tell us about your job. What do you do?

I am an education and outreach associate at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science (CIRES) at the University of Colorado in Boulder. I work on several projects for CIRES, including serving as the program manager for the Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) and collection of climate and energy educational resources. I also conduct evaluation efforts on multiple large education projects, including the Science Through Shadows project.

What's one piece of advice you would give to someone interested in learning more about science?

Just go for it! There is so much information out there. Informal science centers and museums are a great way to get engaged with science.

What are some fun facts about yourself?

I saw a tornado on my first storm chase in graduate school, which is very rare. I love getting outside and hiking, skiing, and camping.