Sarah Popp
popps (at) iu (dot) edu
Indiana University Department of Astronomy
Education
Indiana University • Bloomington, Indiana
Ph.D., Astronomy, Physics minor • Anticipated 2027
M.A., Astronomy • August 2025
State University of New York (SUNY) at Geneseo • Geneseo, New York
B.A., Physics, Mathematics minor, summa cum laude • May 2021
Research Experience
WIYN Open Cluster Study • August 2021-Present
Advisor: Dr. Constantine Deliyannis • Indiana University
- Graduate research assistant
- Measured lithium abundances in select stars using IRAF
- Performed UBVRI PSF photometry using IRAF
- Contributed major edits to our photometry manual as we switched to a new virtual desktop system
X-Ray Afterglows of Short Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) • Summer 2020
Advisor: Dr. Wen-fai Fong • Northwestern University (Remote)
- National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
- Analyzed data from the Swift X-Ray Telescope for the afterglows of 81 short gamma-ray bursts
- Reduced Chandra X-Ray Observatory observations of several short GRB afterglows to add to a larger catalog
WIYN Open Cluster Study • May 2018-January 2020
Advisor: Dr. Aaron Steinhauer
- Undergraduate research assistant
- Observed several star clusters with the WIYN 0.9-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory
- Performed UBVRI PSF photometry using IRAF
- Created a catalog for each cluster which was then used to obtain cluster parameters
Research Products
Refereed Publications
- Rouco Escorial, Alicia; Fong, Wen-fai; Berger, Edo; Laskar, Tanmoy; Margutti, Raffaella; Schroeder, Genevieve; Rastinejad, Jillian C.; Cornish, Dylaan; Popp, Sarah; Lally, Maura; Nugent, Anya E.; Paterson, Kerry; Metzger, Brian D.; Chornock, Ryan; Alexander, Kate; Cendes, Yvette; Eftekhari, Tarraneh; 2023, The Astrophysical Journal, Vol 959, Issue 1, Page 13, Title: The Jet Opening Angle and Event Rate Distributions of Short Gamma-ray Bursts from Late-time X-ray Afterglows, DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/acf830
Talks
- S. Popp, Lithium in the old, moderately metal-poor open clusters NGC 2420 and NGC 2506, 2025, Indiana University Astronomy Tea Talk
- S. Popp, The X-Ray Afterglows of Short Gamma-Ray Bursts, 2021, Indiana University Astronomy Lunch Talk, virtual talk
- S. Popp, The X-Ray Afterglows of Short Gamma-Ray Bursts, 2020, SUNY Geneseo Physics Colloquium, virtual talk
Conference Presentations
- S. Popp, C. Deliyannis, D. Ornelas, R. Howard, D. Dougan, A. Steinhauer, B. Twarog, B. Anthony-Twarog; Lithium in the Old, Moderately Metal-Poor Open Clusters NGC 2420 and NGC 2506; 2026; 247th American Astronomical Society Meeting; poster presentation (submitted)
- S. Popp, C. Deliyannis, D. Ornelas, A. Steinhauer, B. Anthony-Twarog, B. Twarog; WIYN Open Cluster Study: UBVRI Photometry of NGC 2420 and NGC 2506; 2024; 243rd American Astronomical Society Meeting; poster presentation
- D. Cesario, R. Farnsworth, S. Popp, L. Fillhart, L. Finn, S. Giri, A. Steinhauer, C. Deliyannis, & A. Pellerin; WIYN Open Cluster Study: Photometry of the Open Cluster NGC 6603; 2019; 233rd American Astronomical Society Meeting, poster presentation
Observing Experience
WIYN 3.5m Hydra Multi-Object Spectrograph
Kitt Peak National Observatory • Tucson, Arizona
- Awarrded 1 night in January 2026. Role: Co-PI
- 2 nights in March 2025. Observed remotely from Indiana University. Role: Co-I
- 3 nights in January 2025. Observed remotely from Indiana University. Role: PI
- 5.5 nights in March 2024. Role: Co-PI
- 2.5 nights in December 2023. Observed remotely from Indiana University. Role: Co-PI
- 0.5 nights in October 2023 awarded to Caty Pilachowski; shared with our group due to previous time lost to instrument malfunctions. Observed remotely from Indiana University. Role: Co-I
- Awarded 2 nights in October 2023. Unable to observe due to instrument malfunctions. Role: Co-PI
- 5 nights in March 2023. Observed remotely from Indiana University. Role: Co-I
- 3 nights in December 2022. Observed remotely from Indiana University. Role: Co-I
MMT Hectochelle Multi-Object Spectrograph
MMT Observatory, Mt. Hopkins • Tucson, Arizona
- 8 hours in Spring 2025. Queue observing. Role: Co-PI
WIYN 0.9m Half Degree Imager
Kitt Peak National Observatory • Tucson, Arizona
- 4 nights in January 2020. Role: Undergraduate research assistant
- 7 nights in June 2018. Role: Undergraduate research assistant
Teaching Experience
Guest Lecturer: A115 Birth & Death of the Universe • Fall 2025 Instructor of Record: Dr. Caty Pilachowski • Indiana University
- Topics: Stars, Star clusters, Stellar evolution
- Introductory astronomy course for non-majors
- Approximately 240 students
Associate Instructor: A107 The Art of Astronomy • Spring 2025, 2023, 2022
Instructor of Record: Dr. Zack Maas (2025, 2023); Dr. Liese van Zee (2022) • Indiana University
- Introductory astronomy course for non-majors (taught online asynchronously)
- Duties included grading assignments and holding weekly office hours
- Approximately 180 students
Associate Instructor: A115 Birth & Death of the Universe • Fall 2024
Instructor of Record: Dr. Caty Pilachowski • Indiana University
- Introductory astronomy course for non-majors
- Duties included grading assignments and holding weekly office hours
- Approximately 180 students
Instructor of Record: A100 The Solar System • Summer 2023
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Zack Maas • Indiana University
- Introductory astronomy course for non-majors (taught online asynchronously)
- Duties included preparing reading material and assignments, grading assignments, and holding weekly office hours
- Approximately 30 students
Associate Instructor: A100 The Solar System • Fall 2022
Instructor of Record: Dr. Phyllis Lugger • Indiana University
- Introductory astronomy course for non-majors (taught online asynchronously)
- Duties included grading assignments and holding weekly office hours
- Approximately 150 students
Associate Instructor: A105 Stars and Galaxies • Fall 2021
Instructor of Record: Dr. Phyllis Lugger • Indiana University
- Introductory astronomy course for non-majors (taught online asynchronously)
- Duties included grading assignments and holding weekly office hours
- Approximately 150 students
Undergraduate Lab Instructor: ASTR111 Stars and Galaxies Lab • Spring 2021, 2020, 2019
Instructor of Record: Dr. Aaron Steinhauer • SUNY Geneseo
- Introductory astronomy course for non-majors
- Lead instructor for small lab section
- Duties included grading assignments, giving pre-lab lectures, and assisting students as they completed the labs
- Approximately 20 students
Undergraduate Lab Instructor: ASTR106 The Solar System Lab • Fall 2020, 2019, 2018
Instructor of Record: Dr. Anne Pellerin • SUNY Geneseo
- Introductory astronomy course for non-majors
- Lead instructor for small lab section
- Duties included grading assignments, giving pre-lab lectures, and assisting students as they completed the labs
- Approximately 20 students
Supplemental Instructor: ASTR110 Stars and Galaxies • Spring 2021, 2019
Instructor of Record: Dr. Aaron Steinhauer • SUNY Geneseo
- Introductory astronomy course for non-majors
- Duties included holding weekly review sessions and assisting students with homework
- Approximately 120 students
Supplemental Instructor: PHYS125 Analytical Physics II • Spring 2020
Instructors of Record: Dr. Charlie Freeman and Dr. Anne Pellerin • SUNY Geneseo
- Introductory electricty & magnetism course for physics majors
- Duties included holding weekly review sessions and assisting students with homework
- Approximately 60 students
Supplemental Instructor: ASTR105 The Solar System • Fall 2019
Instructor of Record: Dr. Anne Pellerin • SUNY Geneseo
- Introductory astronomy course for non-majors
- Duties included holding weekly review sessions and assisting students with homework
- Approximately 120 students
Physics Learning Center Tutor • August 2018-May 2021
Advisor: Dr. Ed Pogozelski • SUNY Geneseo
- Free physics tutoring for anyone taking physics classes
- Duties included holding open tutoring sessions weekly and assisting students with homework
Private Physics and Astronomy Tutoring • Fall 2019-Spring 2020
Outreach and Science Communication Experience
Astronomy Department Outreach Coordinator • July 2023-July 2024; August 2025-Present
Indiana University
- Worked with community leaders to organize department outreach events
- Coordinated volunteers for outreach events
- Ran @iuastro Twitter/X and Bluesky accounts with ~2000 followers
ScIU Social Media Chair (IU’s Science Communication Blog) • January 2024-Present
Indiana University
- Supervised undergraduate social media interns
- Taught science communication course for undergraduate interns
- Oversaw @sciublog social media accounts on Twitter/X (~400 followers), Instagram (~200 followers), and Facebook (~400 followers)
ScIU Editor • January 2024-Present
Indiana University
Astronomy on Tap Speaker • September 2024
Looking at the Final Frontier: Real World Astronomy in Star Trek
PyIU: A Workshop Series on Python Essentials Organizing Committee • Fall 2023-Present
Indiana University
- Organized workshops to teach Python to undergraduates at IU
- Developed interactive Python demos to teach coding skills
Great Lakes Exoplanet Area Meeting Local Organizing Committee • October 2023
Indiana University
- Designed posters, name badges, and other graphics
- Staffed registration desk
Community Outreach Events
Indiana University
- Indianapolis Children’s Museum STEM Exploration Day (organized as Outreach Coordinator); September 2023, September 2025
- Star Party with Monroe County Parks & Recreation; November 2024, April 2025
- April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
- Brown County Junior Indiana Master Naturalits Afterschool Program (organized as Outreach Coordinator); October 2023
Indiana University Science Fest • October 2021-Present
Indiana University
- As Outreach Coordinator (Fall 2023 and Fall 2025), organizes all IU Astronomy Science Fest activities
- Staffed an IU Astronomy booth and ran an astronomy demo
Kirkwood Observatory Open House • August 2021-Present
Indiana University
- Worked with other graduate student volunteers to hold public open house nights at Kirkwood Observatory
Conferences and Professional Development
247th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society • January 4-8, 2026
Phoenix, Arizona
Code/Astro Workshop • July 2024
Northwestern University/CIERA
- Intensive workshop for software development in astronomy
- Developed and released a python package: GalPal
243rd Meeting of the American Astronomical Society • January 8-12, 2024
New Orleans, Louisiana
- Conference volunteer
Member, American Astronomical Society • Fall 2021-Present
233rd Meeting of the American Astronomical Society • January 6-10, 2019
Seattle, Washington
Skills
Programming Languages: Python
Software: IRAF, SAOImage DS9, Mathematica, Microsoft Office, LaTeX
Honors and Awards
Indiana Space Grant Outreach Award (PyIU, $5500) • July 2025
Indiana University Executive Dean’s Travel Award for Women in Science ($600) • December 2023
Indiana University Fall 2023 College of Arts and Sciences Travel Award ($1500) • November 2023
SUNY Geneseo Physics Department American Meteor Society Award • May 2021
SUNY Geneseo President’s List • Spring 2021
Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society Inductee • May 2021
SUNY Geneseo Dean’s List • Fall 2020, Fall 2017-Fall 2019
SUNY Geneseo Physics Department Alumni Award • May 2020
Sigma Pi Sigma Physics Honor Society Inductee • January 2020
SUNY Geneseo Physics Department Robert “Duke” Sells Memorial Scholarship • May 2019
Last updated: October 8, 2025