Molly Simon

Molly Simon is an Assistant Professor at Arizona State University's School of Earth and Space Exploration. She holds a Ph.D. in Planetary Sciences (2019) from the University of Arizona and a B.S. in Geophysical Sciences (2013) from the University of Chicago. Her research focuses on integrating citizen science and active learning strategies into undergraduate STEM education, particularly in astronomy and planetary science. She has developed innovative curricula using Zooniverse platforms and NASA tools to enhance student engagement with authentic scientific data.

Dr. Simon's educational background includes a Certificate in College Teaching (2018) from the University of Arizona. She previously served as a postdoctoral researcher at the Adler Planetarium, where she contributed to Zooniverse projects. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes fostering critical thinking through active learning and culturally responsive pedagogy.

Her current research projects include NSF-funded initiatives to create online exoplanet research courses and assess the efficacy of citizen science labs. She leads a research group involving postdoctoral researchers like Christine O’Donnell and graduate students such as Peter Smith and Haylee Archer. Dr. Simon's work has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation's Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) program (Awards #1821319 and #2121225).

Her lab focuses on disciplines like exoplanet ephemeris maintenance, planet formation conceptual inventories, and the role of magnetic fields in protoplanetary disks. She is also dedicated to improving accessibility in online astronomy education through adaptive technologies and culturally responsive curricula.