Cierra Atkinson

Position title: Outreach Program Manager

Email: catkinson5@wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 262-1137

1150 Chamberlin Hall

Departmental Responsibilities: Physics museum demos and docents program, Wonders of Physics Outreach Fellows program, General outreach, Coordinating with other dept. on campus outreach events

profile photo of Cierra Atkinson

As a Physics Outreach Coordinator, Cierra works with the outreach team to support existing outreach programs and to develop new physics experiences for the community. She is particularly interested in ensuring that outreach programs present scientific information in a way that is accessible to a wide range of students, regardless of their prior experiences in science. She believes this is best accomplished by encouraging student interaction, connecting to student prior knowledge, and drawing on student interests. Cierra previously taught high school physics. She has an M.A. in science education from Stanford University and an M.S. in geotechnical engineering from the University of California at Berkeley.

Haddie McLean

Position title: Outreach Program Manager

Email: haddie@physics.wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 262-2927

1209 Chamberlin Hall

Departmental Responsibilities: Wonders of Physics / General outreach, Wonders of Physics Scholars program (undergrad equivalent of the grad Fellows program)

profile photo of Haddie McLean

As The Wonders of Physics program coordinator, Haddie develops and presents traveling physics shows to students and community groups all around the state. The shows are fun and engaging with the hope of inspiring the next generation of scientists. Haddie is a UW–Madison alum with a B.S. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. She joined the department in August 2021 after a 20+ year career as a meteorologist at WISC-TV in Madison. If you have awesome experiment ideas or just want to talk about the weather, she’s all ears.

Sarah Parker

Position title: Quantum Outreach Program Manager

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Email: sarah.parker@wisc.edu

1150 Chamberlin Hall

Websites: Hybrid Quantum Architectures and Networks, Teach Quantum, Wonders of Quantum Physics, Open Quantum Initiative

Departmental Responsibilities: Quantum outreach, HQAN outreach, general outreach

Photo of Sarah Parker

As the Hybrid Quantum Architectures and Networks (HQAN) Outreach Program Manager, Sarah provides quantum science outreach to students and teachers in Wisconsin and Illinois. With programs such as Wonders of Quantum Physics (WoQP) and TeachQuantum, she assists educators in implementing quantum science into their curriculum. She is particularly interested in inspiring people from all backgrounds to pursue a career in STEAM, supporting early-career scientists the collegiate level and beyond to have continued success, and increasing accessibility in physics. Sarah received her B.S. in Physics from University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and M.S. in Physics from the University of Missouri. She joined the department in 2023 after many years of working in planetariums doing physics and astronomy outreach.

Sarah Perdue

Position title: Communications Manager

Pronouns: she/her

Email: saperdue@wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 262-3051

2320h Chamberlin Hall

Google Scholar

Departmental Responsibilities: Communication of physics news to the outside world, External-facing website, Marketing, Graphic design, some department events, BOV coordination, social media (Instagram, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, YouTube), Staff Onboarding

profile photo of Sarah Perdue

As Director of Communications, Sarah is the person to go to for all things communications/news/social media/web content/design/marketing. Sarah joined the department in July 2019 with several years of previous communications experience (with an emphasis on science communications), which she obtained during her decade-plus as a bench scientist and during her four years as a communications specialist at the UW Carbone Cancer Center. She is a UW–Madison alum (B.S. in biochemistry), a AAAS Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellowship alum, and received a Ph.D. in microbiology and molecular biology from Cornell University.

Francesca Smith

Position title: Communications and Events Intern

Pronouns: she/her

Email: francesca@physics.wisc.edu

profile picture of Frankie Smith

Francesca (Frankie) is a third-year undergraduate student at UW–Madison, where she is majoring in Strategic Communication and Environmental Studies in order to pursue a career in Science Communication. As an intern for the Physics Department, Francesca assists with a variety of tasks including social media development, event planning, and more. In her free time, Francesca enjoys making crafts with friends and trying out new recipes from Trader Joe’s.

Aubree Steinmetz

Position title: Outreach Specialist

Pronouns: she/her

Email: aosteinmetz@wisc.edu

Photo of Aubree Steinmetz

Aubree mainly works on The Wonders of Physics program where she helps research, plan, and perform educational physics demonstrations for audiences in and around the state. She also volunteers in the Geology Museum on campus. She is an alum of The Ohio State University with a B.S. in Evolution and Ecology. In her free time, Aubree enjoys playing the tuba and taking care of her pet lizard.