Molly Simon

Dr. Simon received her Bachelor’s Degree in Geophysical Sciences from the University of Chicago in 2013. She went on to get a Masters Degree and Ph.D. in Planetary Sciences from the University of Arizona (in 2016 and 2019, respectively). During her time as a graduate student, she became interested in how general education science students approached concepts taught to them in their astronomy courses. She decided to pursue a Certificate in College Teaching through the University of Arizona’s Office of Instruction and Assessment. This led her on the path to conduct Astronomy Education Research full-time, and after graduation, she began a position as a Postdoctoral Researcher for the Zooniverse at the Adler Planetarium. As a Professor at ASU, she utilizes citizen science as tool to bring authentic research and data-rich experiences to students in both in-person and online courses. She also develops active learning materials designed to engage students in critical thinking while promoting increased disciplinary fluency.