Karen Jean Meech - Curriculum Vitae

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Rice University MIT - Planetary IfA Manoa Mauna Kea Observatories Cerro Tololo Obs Very Large Telescope, Chile AAVSO Maria Mitchell Observatory Central Cusco, Peru Sacsayhuaman Macchu Piccu Inca Wall Survey

Contact Information

Education

• 1987 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ph.D Planetary Science
• 1981 Rice University, BA Space Physics, cum laude

Honors and Awards

• 2001 Honorary membership into Mortar Board
  
• 1996 Asteroid 4367 named Meech
  
• 1994 Recipient of the American Astronomical Society H. C. Urey Prize
  
• 1994 Nomination for UH Teaching Excellence Award
  
• 1988 Recipient of the Annie Jump Cannon Award in Astronomy
  
• 1986-7 NASA Graduate Student Researchers Fellowship
  
• 1981 Heaps Prize in Physics for Senior Research on M33
  
• 1981 Nominee for Apker Physics Award
  
• 1980 Board of Governor's Scholarship
  
• 1978-9 EARTHWATCH scholarship
  

Professional Experience

• 7/00-Pres Astronomer, Institute for Astronomy
  
• 7/92-6/00 Associate Astronomer, Institute for Astronomy, tenure 7/96
  
• 3/90-7/92 Assistant Astronomer, Institute for Astronomy
  
• 8/87-3/90 Assistant Astronomer, Institute for Astronomy
  
• 7/87-8/87 Postdoctoral Research, MIT
  
• 9/82-7/87 Teaching and Research Assistant, MIT
  
• 9/81-9/82 Research Asst. at Amer. Assoc. Variable Star Observers
  
• 9/81-9/82 Research Specialist, MIT
  
• 9/80-5/81 Quantum Physics Course Grader, Rice University
  
• 9/80-5/81 Lab Assistant, Molecular Physics, Rice University
  
• 8/80-8/80 EARTHWATCH - Archaeoastronomical Expedition - Peru
  
• 6/79-8/79 Assistant at the Amer. Assoc. Variable Star Observers
  
• 6/78-8/78 Research Asst. at Maria Mitchell Observatory
  

Professional Societies

• American Astronomical Society
  
• Division for Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society
  
• International Astronomical Union
  
  • Member and Organizing committee member of Commissions 15 & 51
  • Vice President of Commission 51 (Bioastronomy)
• American Association of Variable Star Observers
  
• American Association of Physics Teachers
  
• American Association of Women in Science
  

Research Interests

• Evolution / Aging Processes in Comets -- Relation to Early Solar System
  
• Distant Comet Observations
  
• Comet Astrometry
  
• Comet Plasma Tails
  
• Search for Kreutz Sungrazing Comets and Kuiper Belt Comets
  
• Planetary Formation, Search for extra-solar Planetary Systems
  
• Archaeoastronomy - Ancient Astronomy of Hawaii
  

Other Affiliations

• Member of Board of Directors of Kilo Lokahi (non-profit)
  
• Member of the MIT Club of Hawaii
  
• Affiliate of the Bishop Museum
  

Publications

• Author on over 40 refereed publications
• Since 1987: PI and Co-I on 11 major grants totalling $4.3 million
• Award monies and private donations since 1987: $297K

Skills

• Familiar with Unix systems, and fortran programming
• Expert at IRAF image processing, familiar with IDL
• Proficient in LaTeX typsetting language
• Proficient in html programming (raw)
• Skills with Macintosh computers and Excel, Photoshop, Illustrator
• Foreign language -- Spanish: good
• NAUI Openwater 1 and 2 scuba certified (shark video)