Alessondra Springmann HC 3 Box 53995, Arecibo Observatory, Arecibo, PR; 415-509-4124; [email protected]

Education Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA Master’s in Earth and Planetary Science Received June 2011 • Thesis: Terrestrial Magma Ocean Solidification and Formation of a Candidate D00 Layer • Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Award for Teaching Excellence, May 2009 & May 2011 • MIT Graduate Presidential Fellowship Recipient, 2007–2008

Wellesley College Wellesley, MA Bachelor of Arts in Astrophysics Received June 2007 • 7 semesters of coursework and research at MIT and Olin College of Engineering • Department of Astronomy John C. Duncan Award, June 2007

Research Experience Arecibo Observatory, National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center Arecibo, PR Data Analyst and Observing Support, Planetary Radar Group October 2012–present • Observed dozens of potentially hazardous asteroids annually using S-band radar transmitters and receivers • Processed data as it is taken to ensure quality as well as system integrity; performed basic troubleshooting • Maintained a database of all Arecibo planetary radar observations of near-Earth asteroids and data products

Carl Sagan Center, SETI Institute Mountain View, CA Research Assistant January–May 2012 • Research on multiple asteroid systems; investigated physical and orbital properties of binary asteroids • Carried out observations on multiple asteroid system (22) Kalliope and its moon Linus from Lick Observatory • Supervised two undergraduate students in proper methods for conducting photometric observations of asteroids

MIT Planetary Astronomy Laboratory NASA JPL Observatory; Kagoshima University Observatory Research Assistant/Observer June 2011; January 2012 • Adapted a GPS-enabled MIT camera to to take data of Kuiper Belt object (Pluto, Varuna) occultations • Facilitated data analysis and improvement in data signal-to-noise ratios while maintaining a high imaging cadence

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Tokyo, Japan Research Associate, Aerodynamic Research and Development Directorate July–September 2011 • Designed experiments to characterize supercooled water via temperature sensors and spectral analyzers • Reduced measurement time for individual experiments by 90%; taught technical English to laboratory co-workers

MIT Elkins-Tanton Laboratory Cambridge, MA Graduate Research Assistant for Dr. Linda Elkins-Tanton September 2008–May 2011 • Optimized large Matlab codebase for modeling early magma oceans on Earth and other planets • Analyzed model results using Matlab to determine simulation validity

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Planetary Ices Laboratory Pasadena, CA Graduate Student Research Affiliate for Dr. Paul Weissman June–August 2009 • Measured the rotation rate of asteroid (4015) Wilson-Harrington by processing images with IRAF • Determined the orbits of five near-Earth asteroids with a 0.61-m telescope at JPL’s Table Mountain Observatory

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Planetary Science Summer School Pasadena, CA Project/Proposal Manager for a team of 18 postdoctoral researchers and graduate students June–August 2008 • Oversaw all aspects of a Trojan asteroid mission design including choosing science objectives and instruments • Managed costs (budget of $650 M) and environmental constraints; designed presentation for NASA review panel • Proposal satisfied both budget and science requirements; received the highest possible rating from reviewers

MIT Planetary Spectroscopy Laboratory Cambridge, MA Graduate Research Assistant for Dr. Richard Binzel September 2007–June 2008 • Observed potentially hazardous asteroids with 3.0-meter NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) • Modeled point-spread functions of Pluto and Charon to extract lightcurves of Pluto’s other moons Nix and Hydra

Springmann, page 1 Skills • Programming Languages: IDL, IRAF, Java, LATEX, Mathematica, Matlab, Python, shell scripting; IDEs: Eclipse • System Administration: Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, UNIX; Version Control: git, SVN • Public speaking: FameLab regional winner, Houston, TX March 2013: http://youtu.be/1msVEwHtOmg

Observing Experience • Gordon 305-m telescope Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico (radar) • Magellan 6.5-m Baade telescope Las Campanas Observatory, Chile • NASA 3.0-m Infrared Telescope Facility Mauna Kea, HI (remote observing) • Nickel 1.0-m telescope Lick Observatory, Mount Hamilton, CA • Kagoshima University 1.0-m telescope Kagoshima University Observatory, Japan • NASA 0.6-m Jet Propulsion Laboratory telescope Table Mountain Observatory, Wrightwood, CA • Sawyer 0.6-m telescope (classroom telescope support) Whitin Observatory, Wellesley, MA • 8-16-in telescopes (classroom telescope support) Wallace Astrophysical Observatory, Westford, MA

Refereed Publications & White Papers • Shepard, M. K., Taylor, P. A., Nolan, M. C., Howell, E. S., Springmann, A., and 11 others. A radar survey of M- and X-class asteroids. III. Insights into their composition, hydration state, & structure. Icarus, in revision, 2013. • Person, M. J. and 47 others. The 2011 June 23 Stellar Occultation by Pluto: Airborne and Ground Observations. The Astronomical Journal, Volume 146, Issue 4, article id. 83, 2013. • Azenkot, S., Golfinopoulous, T., Marcus, A., Springmann, A., Varsanik, J. S. Overcoming barriers among Israeli and Palestinian students via computer science. Proceedings of the 42nd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE 2011). • Rivkin, A. S., Emery, J., Barucci, A., Bell, J. F., Bottke, W. F., Dotto, E., Gold, R., Lisse, C., Licandro, J., Prockter, L., Hibbits, C., Paul, M., Springmann, A., Yang, B. The Trojan Asteroids: Keys to Many Locks. Planetary Decadal Survey White Paper, 2009. • Springmann, A., Cheung, C.C. Host Galaxies of X-Shaped Radio Sources. Department of Energy Journal of Undergraduate Research, pp. 97-102, 2007.

Selected Conference Proceedings • Springmann, A., and 20 others. Binary Near-Earth Asteroid (285263) 1998 QE2: Goldstone and Arecibo Radar Imaging and Lightcurve Observations. AAS/Division for Planetary Sciences Meeting, 45, 2013. • Springmann, A., Taylor, P. A., Howell, E. S., Nolan, M.C. Are the radar scattering properties of near-Earth asteroids correlated with size, shape, or spin? Lunar and Planetary Science Conference #43, abstract # 1719, 2013 • Springmann, A., Dalba, P., Marchis, F., Vachier, F., Berthier, J., Descamps, P., Morris, B., Marciniak, A., Santana, T., Kryszczynska, A. Physical and orbital properties of the (22) Kalliope system from mutual eclipse observations. Asteroids, Comets, Meteors, paper id. 6352, 2012 • Springmann, A. (and 18 others). Designing a New Frontiers-class Trojan/Centaur Reconnaissance Mission: A JPL Planetary Science Summer Study. American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #40, abstract #18.09, 2008 • Binzel, R. P.; . . . Springmann, A.; . . . Spectral Properties of Near-Earth Object Mission Targets. Asteroids, Comets, Meteors, paper id. 8228, 2008 • Springmann, A.; Kern, S. D.; Binzel, R. P. Lightcurve Observations of Nix and Hydra Using the Magellan Telescopes. American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #39, #52.12, 2007 • Springmann, A.; Cheung, C. C. Host Galaxies of X-Shaped Extragalactic Radio Sources. American Association for the Advancement of Science Annual Meeting, 2007 • Springmann, A.; Cheung, C. C. Host Galaxies of X-Shaped Radio Sources. AAS/AAPT Joint Meeting, American Astronomical Society Meeting 209, #252.06, 2007

Invited Talks Marin Academy High School Science Department, Astrophysics Course, San Rafael, CA, September 2013 “Asteroid Radar Astronomy”

Marin Academy High School Science Department, Astrophysics Course, San Rafael, CA, November 2011 “From the Mars to Asteroids to Exoplanets: Exploring Planets As Worlds”

Springmann, page 2 Teaching Experience MIT AITI: Accelerating Information Technology Initiative University of Ghana, Legon Entrepreneurship & Communication Lead March–August 2012 • Taught entrepreneurship and business skills to 45 university students from Ghana in a period of seven weeks • Lead a team of 4 teaching mobile application development curriculum in Python, Django, SQL, and Android • Created program partnerships with technology incubators, telecommunications companies, and Google Ghana

MIT Course: The Solar System (12.400) Cambridge, MA Graduate Teaching Assistant for Richard P. Binzel January–May 2011 • Lectured on the history of, evidence for liquid water on, and robotic exploration of Mars • Graded problem sets and exams; organized office hour sessions on meteorites and solar system formation

MIT MEET: Middle East Education Through Technology Hebrew University, Jerusalem Computer Science and Business Instructor March–August 2010 • Developed a computer science and business curriculum for 28 high school students from Palestine and Israel • Taught abstraction, modularity, testing, interfaces, graphics, and business skills through laboratories and lectures • Supervised a group of 7 students developing an instant messenger client and plug-in written in Java in 4 weeks

MIT Course: Observational Techniques of Optical Astronomy (8.287/12.410) MIT Graduate Teaching Assistant for James L. Elliot September–December 2008 • Managed two laboratory sections of undergraduates weekly; graded problem sets and exams • Instructed students in the proper use of 14” and 16” telescopes for data acquisition of science objects • Troubleshot telescope and computer systems; edited student technical reports; debugged student project code

High School Mathematics and Physics Tutor San Francisco, CA Self-Employed Tutor 2009–2012 • Taught algebra I & II, geometry, precalculus, calculus, and physics to high school and college students • Homeschooled students with various learning disabilities including dyslexia and ADHD

Service Cat Lovers of Arecibo Welfare Society (CLAWS) Arecibo, PR Head Cat Herder October 2012–present • Raised funds to care for a family of cats living at Arecibo Observatory • Found homes in Puerto Rico and the continental US for cats; more at http://observatorycats.tumblr.com

Board of Directors, Inverness Yacht Club Inverness, CA Board Member; Secretary December 2009–September 2012 • Managed a yearly budget of $400,000 for a 400-person organization • Contributed to club efficiency by reducing board meeting times from 4 to 2 hours • Organized events for 100 attendees including marketing, catering, and entertainment

Marin Academy Astrophysics Course San Rafael, CA Visiting Astronomer Spring 2012 • Lead outings to local observatories and to view the transit of Venus • Mentored high school students regarding careers in astronomy and science

MIT Women’s Initiative Houston, TX Presenter January 2011 • Gave 35 presentations in 5 days to middle school and high school girls about the excitement of careers in engineering • Created a hands-on activity to illustrate engineering concepts and teamwork to groups of 20-75 students

Miscellaneous • Languages: English (native); Spanish (intermediate); Japanese (beginner) • Interests: sailing, cycling, canyoneering, SCUBA diving, kayaking, hiking; sailing instructor for four summers

Springmann, page 3