AAPT: American Association of Physics Teachers

Meet Allison

As I gazed up at the night sky in my father's backyard, a few years after high school, I was struck by the profound expanse of the universe and my burning curiosity to delve deeper into its mysteries. Managing a local skateboard shop in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona had momentarily delayed my college education, but the desire to explore the unknown and contribute to the understanding of the universe ignited within me like a meteor striking my path. My astrophysics trajectory commenced with courses in college algebra and introductory physics, driven by a profound love for astronomy, geology, and rocks incoming from space. Despite encountering challenges, I persevered with the support of office hours, tutoring, and revisions. Joining the Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium marked a pivotal moment, where I conducted interactive planetarium shows and Solar System tours, making complex scientific concepts accessible to audiences of all ages, and also began teaching with hands-on demos through our Physics Discovery program.