Research
I have a physics and astronomy degree from the University of Washington, and
have worked previously on flare stars and eclipsing binaries.
I worked on a SDSS project at the University of Washington designed to confirm
and characterize RR Lyrae candidates chosen based upon two-epoch variability
and SDSS colors. I mapped galactic structure, by searching for regions where
RR Lyrae were overabundant, and found evidence that these regions were the
results of ancient galaxy mergers.
I have also worked with Eric Hilton and Suzanne Hawley examining flare rates
in low-mass stars. Part of our motivation was to better constrain flare
rates, in order to improve monitoring of these objects for transiting planets.
I developed IDL routines to analyze archival flare data from the literature,
and spent several weeks acquiring and reducing photometry to monitor
additional flare systems with a 30-inch telescope at Manastash Ridge
Observatory.
I have observed remotely with the APO 3.5-meter, taking spectra of eclipsing
binary stars, in an outgrowth of efforts to identify flares in the SDSS
Stripe 82 time domain database. In addition I have used the 0.6-meter,
attached to SDSS, to monitor flare rates on M-dwarf stars.
I was an active volunteer for several years at the Jacobsen Observatory in
Seattle, giving public talks on astronomy, and have also worked with
elementary schools to teach physics to children.
I have a strong interest in continuing my work on variable stars, and in
exploring exosolar planets, star formation regions, and varied topics in
galactic astronomy.
I have begun my graduate studies as of August, 2009 at NMSU. I will be
working with professors Rene Walterbos and Jon Holtzman.
Teaching
I am currently Rene Walterbos TA for his Astro 305 course on: "Life in the
Universe". I hold office hours Monday and Wednesday from 2:00 - 3:00 P.M.
Papers
Flare Rates on M Dwarfs: Observing Program
Eric J. Hilton, S. Hawley, N. Ule, A. Kowalski, T. Gomez, S. Grammer,
J. Holtzman, M. Huang, J. Huehnerhoff, & D. Morgan
2009, BAAS, 213, 43416
Probing Halo Substructure With Rr Lryae From Multi-epoch Sdss Data
Oliver J. Fraser, S. H. Grammer, D. P. Morgan, A. Z. Welch, E. W. Bullock,
J. Huehnerhoff, M. L. Kalif, R. W. Maas, E. Muhs, N. M. Ule, E. J. Hilton,
J. Meyer, C. Laws, B. Sesar, & Z. Ivezic
2007, BAAS, 211, 6009
