Curriculum Vitae

Jessica Anne Ennis
University of Minnesota
Department of Astronomy
116 Church St. S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 624-3859
jennis@astro.umn.edu

Education

Teaching Positions

Head Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Minnesota Dept. of Astronomy (Supervisor: Dr. Liliya Williams)
September 2007 to May 2008

• Instructed lab sections of ASTR1001 (Exploring the Universe), including writing syllabus and making content modifications
• Coordinated with faculty to change the order and focus of labs, and to write and edit labs
• Maintained, updated, managed emergency problems with, and set-up lab equipment
• Coordinated and conducted public observing nights
• Maintained and updated departmental observing equipment
• Trained new teaching assistants
• Scheduled teaching assistants for lab sections
• Conducted teaching assistant meetings
• Maintained teaching assistant web page
• Conducted public outreach

Universe in the Park Coordinator, University of Minnesota Dept. of Astronomy (Supervisor: Dr. Evan Skillman)
May 2006 to September 2006 ; May 2007 to September 2007

• Scheduled and coordinated departmental outreaches at public parks throughout the state
• Maintained and updated departmental observing equipment
• Conducted public talks and observing nights
• Co-drafted successful proposal for future funding (2007)

Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Minnesota Dept. of Astronomy (Supervisor: Dr. Liliya Williams)
September 2004 to May 2005; September 2004 to May 2005 ; September 2006 to December 2006

• Instructed lab sections of ASTR1001, an introductory astronomy class for non-science majors
• Conducted public observing nights
• Conducted public outreach

Student Mentee, Normandale Community College Physics and Engineering Department (Supervisor: Dr. Julie Johnson)
September 2006 to December 2006

• Instructed a lecture on stellar evolution as part of  PHYS1104 (Descriptive Astronomy)
• Wrote final exam questions on stellar evolution
• Observed class periods and office hours
• Participated in faculty meeting

Guest Instructor, Minneapolis Community and Technical College, College Physics Department (Supervisor: Dr. Parke Kunkle)
November 2006

• Instructed a lecture on the greenhouse effect, meteorite impacts, and radioactive dating
• Instructed a lab session on radial velocity measurements

Professional Development

• Graduate Course: Preparing Future Faculty
• Mentored at Normandale Community College
• Observed classes at Augsburg College
• Interviewed faculty at different types of institutions

• Graduate Course: Teaching in Higher Education
• Practiced active learning/teaching methods
• Discussed situations that may arise in an academic setting
• Designed astronomy lesson based on active lecturing

Outreach & Community Involvement

• University Observatory Public Nights (2004-2007): telescope viewing
• Sioux Trail Elementary School (2008): space travel presentation
• Camp Greenwood Girl Scout Overnight (2008): telescope and mirrors activity
• Girl Scouts’ Crime Scene Science Program (2008): activities centered around recovering evidence
• Boyscouts in Minneapolis (2007): solar system presentation, telescope viewing
• Gleason Lake Elementary Wayzata Family Science Night (2007): astronomy room
• Universe in the Park (2004-2006): topical presentations, telescope viewing, program coordinator (2006-2007)
• Minnesota State Fair (2007): astronomy booth
• Wayzata Science Night (2007): astronomy booth
• Boyscouts in White Bear Lake (2006): solar system presentation
• Morris Bye Elementary School (2006): solar system presentation
• Bell Museum Assistant for Astronomy (2005-2006): solar system, telescope, and constellation presentations
• Eden Prairie High School (2004-2005): cosmology discussion
• Prairie View Elementary School (2005): solar system presentation
• Burnsville Child Care K-3 (2005): solar system presentation
• Homeschool Adventures (2005): meteorite presentation
• Minneapolis Jewish Day School (2005): telescope viewing
• St. Louis Park Jewish Community Center (2005): sun dial construction
• University of Minnesota Freshman Seminar (2004):  origin of life presentation
• Summer Stargazing at Bound to be Read (2004): solar system presentation, telescope viewing

Research Positions

Graduate Research Assistant, University of Minnesota Dept. of Astronomy (Advisor: Dr. Lawrence Rudnick)
January 2007 to August 2007

• X-ray proper motions and tomography of Kepler's supernova remnant

Graduate Research Assistant, University of Minnesota Dept. of Astronomy (Advisor: Dr. Lawrence Rudnick)
May 2005 to September 2006

• Spitzer IRAC observations of dust in the Cas A Supernova Remnant
• X-Ray proper motions of Kepler's Supernova Remnant
• X-Ray tomography of Kepler
• The X-ray evoution of Cas A

Graduate Research Assistant, University of Minnesota Dept. of Astronomy (Advisor: Dr. Lawrence Rudnick)
July 2004 to August 2004

• Multi-wavlength study of Kepler's supernova remnant

Undergraduate Research Assistant, University of Maryland Dept. of Physics/Dept. of Astronomy (Advisors: Dr. Julie McEnery and Dr. Chris Reynolds)
April 2003 to May 2004

• Senior Thesis: Optical Monitoring of Blazars MRK421 and PKS1406-076

Undergraduate Research Assistant, University of Maryland Dept. of Physics (Advisor: Dr. Gregory Sullivan)
January 2002 to April 2003

• Constructed database to monitor PMT replacements for Milagro gamma-ray detector
• Made database accessible to collaborators via the internet
• Archived Milagro data

Engineering Aid, USDA Agricultural Research Service Hydrology and Remote Sensing Lab (Supervisor: Dr. Thomas Jackson)
June 2000 to August 2000

• Analyzed data from remote sensing satellite
• Conducted pesticide field work

Intern, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Science and Technology Research Practicum (Advisor: Dr. Manuel Bautista)
October 1999 to May 2000

• Thesis: Fe Emissions from K-shell Vacancies
• Modelled atomic transitions

Publications

• Ennis, J.A., Robinson, P.E., Rudnick, L., & DeLaney, T., Chandra X-ray Tomography and Proper Motions of Kepler's Supernova Remnant, in preparation
• Ennis, J.A., Rudnick, L., Reach, W., Smith, J.D., Rho, J., DeLaney, T., Gomez, H., & Kozasa, T. 2006. Spitzer IRAC Images and Sample Specta of Cassiopeia A's Explosion, ApJ, 652, 376
• Sankrit, R., Blair, W.P., Frattare, L.M., Rudnick, L., DeLaney, T., Harrus, I.M., & Ennis, J.A. 2008. Hubble Space Telescope/Advanced Camera for Surveys Narrowband Imaging of the Kepler Supernova Remnant, AJ, 135, 538S
• Rho, J., Kozasa, T., Reach, W. T., Smith, J. D., Rudnick, L., DeLaney, T., Ennis, J. A., Gomez, H., Tappe, A. 2008. Freshly Formed Dust in the Cassiopeia A Supernova Remnant as Revealed by the Spitzer Space Telescope, ApJ, 673, 271R
• Sankrit, R., Blair, W.P., DeLaney, T., Rudnick, L., Harrus, I.M., Ennis, J.A. 2005. HST/ACS imaging of a Balmer-dominated Shock in Kepler's Supernova Remnant, AdSpR, 35, 1027

Selected Posters & Presentations

• Ennis, J.A., Rudnick, L., Reach, W., Smith, J.D., Rho, J., DeLaney, T., Gomez, H., & Kozasa, T. Spitzer IRAC Observations of Cassiopeia A (SN-GRB Remnants, Santa Barbara, Feb. 2006)
• Ennis, J.A., DeLaney, T., Rudnick, L., Sankrit, R., Blair, W.P., Harrus, I.M. X-Ray Tomography and Spectra of Kepler's SNR (AAS Jan. 2005)
• Ennis, J. & McEnery, J., Optical Monitoring of MRK421 (AAS Jan. 2004)
• Rudnick, L., Ennis, J., Reach, W., Smith, J. D., Rho, J., DeLaney, T., Gomez, H., & Kozasa, T. Nucleosynthesis Layers and Dust Formation in Cas A (AAS June 2006)
• Rudnick, L., Ennis, J.A., Reach, W., Smith, J.D., Rho, J., DeLaney, T., Gomez, H., & Kozasa, T. Unveiling the Nucleosynthetic Layers of Cassiopeia A with Spitzer (AAS Jan. 2006)
• Robinson, P.E., Ennis, J.A., Rudnick, L., DeLaney, T., Petre, R. X-Ray Proper Motions in Kepler's SNR (AAS May 2005)

Honors and Awards

• Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Travel Grant (2005)

Professional Memberships

• American Astronomical Society (2003-2008)
• Women in Physics and Astronomy (2004-2008), Officer (2007-2008)
• American Physical Society (2003-2005)

Service

• Public Night Coordinator (2007-2008)
• Universe in the Park Coordinator (2006-2007)
• Prospective Student Dinner Organizer (2006)
• AAS 206th meeting volunteer (2005)
• Graduate Student Fees Committee (2004-2005)

Appendix – Course Description

ASTR1001 (Exploring the Universe; U of M): This course is a scientific exploration of the human place in the universe. We study the origin and history of the Universe and the formation of the Earth and the solar system. We compare the Earth's properties with those of the other planets and explore how the heavens have influenced human thought and action. This course includes study of the properties of light and matter and the tools astronomers use to measure radiation from celestial sources. The course also covers exciting contemporary topics such as black holes, the expansion of the universe and the search for extraterrestrial life. Although largely descriptive, the course will occasionally require the use of junior-high level mathematics. Lectures are three days a week; on a fourth day each week two hours are spent in small groups working on a lab project. This course is intended for non-science majors; no science background is necessary. (4 credits)