John Keller

My academic background is in planetary science, astronomy education research, and science teacher preparation.

My current planetary science research involves measuring trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs) through stellar occultations. Marc Buie (Southwest Research Institute) and I lead the Research and Education Collaborative Occultation Network (RECON), an NSF-funded citizen science research effort with over 50 schools across the Western United States helping us measure TNOs as they pass in front of distant stars.

My current education research focuses on how inclusion of research opportunities as a component of K-12 science and math teacher preparation can impact teacher effectiveness, retention, and persistence. This work involves a longitudinal study of over 300 alumni of the STEM Teacher and Researcher (STAR) Program.

As Director of Fiske Planetarium, I also work with faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates to promote public engagement in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and conduct research into the effectiveness of teaching strategies and technologies in immersive planetarium environments.

Selected Recent Publications

Krim J.S., et al., 2019, Models and Impacts of Science Research Experiences: A Review of the Literature of CUREs, UREs, and TREs, CBE-Life Sciences Education, 18(4).

Trouille, L., et al., 2019, Citizen Science in Astronomy Education, in Astronomy Education Volume 1: Evidence based instruction for introductory courses, ed. Chris Impey and Sanlyn Buxner, IOP Publishing, doi:10.1088/2514-3433/ab2b42.

Benedetti-Rossi, G., et al., 2016, Results from the 2014 November 15th multi-chord stellar occultation by the TNO (229762) 2007 UK126, AJ, 152(156).

Buie, M.W., and J.M. Keller, 2016, The Research and Education Collaborative Occultation Network: A system for coordinated TNO occultation observations, AJ, 151(73).

Keller, J.M., et al., 2007, Equatorial and midlatitude distribution of chlorine measured by Mars Odyssey GRS, JGR, 111(E3).