Meet the Team

Brian is a planetary astronomer and the principal investigator for CIDSRSN. He likes reading sci-fi, running, and playing classical guitar. 

You can read more about his research on his website – astrojack.com/.

Kaitlyn’s degree is in Anthropology but after college found her love and passion for marketing and event planning. She enjoys hiking with her dogs, trying new restaurants with her hubby and learning all about Astronomy.

Rachel is the Postdoctoral Research Fellow for CIDSRSN, splitting her time between outreach events, teaching, and exoplanetary research. Rachel’s love of astronomy began during her undergraduate studies at Northern Arizona University, and her passion for public outreach was cemented during her time working as a Public Program Educator at the Lowell Observatory.

Carol Cole is currently President of the Idaho Dark Sky Alliance, a non-profit that coordinates efforts to protect the night sky within the Central Idaho Darky Sky Reserve. Her work with the Reserve started in 2015 as the Forest Service Representative on the planning team. Carol has over 30 years of experience working for the Forest Service, National Park Service and other parks and natural resource organizations. Her work in environmental education and interpretation, partnership and volunteer coordination and public outreach is centered on a passion for connecting people with the natural environment.

Dr. Travis Longcore is Adjunct Professor and Co-Chair of the Environmental Science and Engineering Program at the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Science Director of The Urban Wildlands Group, a Los Angeles-based conservation nonprofit, and an independent ecological design and environmental policy consultant.

You can read more about his research on his website – https://travislongcore.net/

Chandler Beasley is currently in her third year at Boise State. She is majoring in Physics with an emphasis in Astrophysics and Secondary Education. She loves anything space-related and has a passion for sharing that information with the public and in the classroom. Her favorite things to do when she isn’t doing outreach are to stargaze, listen to a wide variety of music, and go rock-hounding!

Arianna Japalucci is an astrophysics major at Boise State University. She just moved to Idaho last year from Nevada, where she attended the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. Her hobbies include hiking, gardening, photography, and playing Animal Crossing. She also loves traveling and is part of a military family, so she has moved around a lot. She hopes to become a researcher in astrophysics in the future.

My name is Jacob Denney. I am a freshman at Boise State University, expected to graduate Spring of 2027 with a major in Physics with emphasis on Astrophysics and an applied math minor. I have been fascinated with space and astronomy since I was 13 years old. My hobbies include stargazing, listening to music, and hanging out with my friends. I hope to eventually become an astrophysics researcher at a famous astronomy organization in the future!

My name is Harper Brandenburg and I am a freshman at Boise State University. I moved to Idaho from Wisconsin this summer and I love it here! I am currently majoring in Mechanical Engineering and minoring in German. In my free time I love skiing, backpacking, and spending time with my friends and family!

My name is Leah Kantrowitz, and I am a freshman at Boise State University. I am very involved on campus as a member of the Honors College, the Residential Housing Association, the Jewish Student Union, and Alpha Omicron Pi. And now AstroTAC! I am passionate about working with the community and educating young minds. I believe that there is something new to learn every day and that each experience is an opportunity for growth. In my free time, I love to read literature, play on my Nintendo Switch, listen to a variety of music artists (Taylor Swift is my favorite!), and explore everything Idaho has to offer!