Donna M. Pierce

Education

Ph.D.  Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, 2006
M.S.  Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, 2000
B.S.   Physics, University of Kentucky, 1997     Summa Cum Laude;   Departmental Honors in Physics

Dissertation

Formation and Destruction of Carbon Monoxide in Cometary Comae -- Directed by M. F. A'Hearn

Positions Held

Assistant Professor, Physics and Astronomy Department, Mississippi State University, 2007-present
Postdoctoral Fellow, Astronomy Department, University of Texas, 2006
Research Fellow, Astronomy Department, University of Texas, 2005 - 2006
Research Assistant, Astronomy Department, University of Maryland, 2000 - 2005
Astronomy Tutor, University of Maryland Academic Achievement Programs, 2001
Teaching Assistant, Astronomy Department, University of Maryland, 1999 - 2000
Summer Research Internship, X-Ray Branch of the Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, 1997, 1998
Laboratory Assistant for Optics and Spectroscopy, Physics and Astronomy Department, University of Kentucky, 1996
Summer Research Internship, Physics and Astronomy Department, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 1996
Summer Research Internship, Physics and Astronomy Department, University of Alabama, 1995

Honors and Awards

Outstanding Teaching Assistant, Astronomy Department, University of Maryland, 1999 - 2000
Distinguished Teaching Assistant, University of Maryland Center For Teaching Excellence, 1999 - 2000
High Energy Astrophysics Fellowship, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, 1997 - 1999
Outstanding Senior Physics Major, University of Kentucky, 1997
Phi Beta Kappa, 1997
Golden Key International Honour Society, 1996
Outstanding Junior Physics Major, University of Kentucky,1995
Sigma Pi Sigma Physics Honor Society, 1995
Physics and Astronomy Scholarship, University of Kentucky, 1993 - 1997
Academic Excellence Scholarship, University of Kentucky, 1993 - 1997

Invited Seminars & Colloquia

• Understanding Cometary Atmospheres, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa), March 12, 2008.
• Understanding Cometary Atmospheres, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Alabama at Huntsville, March 11, 2008.
• Formation of Carbon Monoxide in the Near-Nucleus Coma of Comets, Laboratory for Extraterrestrial Physics Seminar, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, October 9, 2003

Refereed Papers

• Rothschild, R. E., D. L. Band, P. R. Blanco, D. E. Gruber, W. A. Heindl, D. R. MacDonald, D. C. Marsden, K. Jahoda, D. Pierce, G. Madejski, M. Elvis, D. A. Schwartz, R. Remillard, A. A. Zdziarski, C. Done, and R. Svensson 1999. Observation of Centaurus A by the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer. Astrophys. J. 510, 651-658.

Contributed Papers

• Pierce, D. M., and A. L. Cochran 2006. The Spatial Distribution of Radical Species in the Coma of Comet Encke. Bull. Am. Astron. Soc. 38, 29.04.
• Pierce, D. M., and M. F. A'Hearn 2004. Formation and Destruction Mechanisms of Carbon Monoxide in Cometary Comae. Bull. Am. Astron. Soc. 36, 23.02.
• Pierce, D. M., and M. F. A'Hearn 2003. Formation of Carbon Monoxide in the Near-Nucleus Coma of Comets. Bull. Am. Astron. Soc. 35, 28.07.
• Pierce, D. M., C. G. Mundell, A. S. Wilson, and R. K. Riggs 1999. Tidally Triggered Seyfert and Starburst Activity? An HI Study of NGC 7469/IC 5283. Bull. Am. Astron. Soc. 194, 49.09.
• Rothschild, R. E., D. L. Band, P. R. Blanco, D. E. Gruber, W. A. Heindl, D. R. MacDonald, D. C. Marsden, K. Jahoda, D. Pierce, G. Madejski, M. Elvis, D. A. Schwartz, and R. Remillard 1997. Observation of Cen A by the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer. Bull. Am. Astron. Soc. 191, 90.02.
• Weistrop, D., V. Harvey, D. Pitanzo, S. Cruzen, P. Rogers, M. Beaver, and D. Pierce 1996. Morphology of Galaxies in Voids. Bull. Am. Astron. Soc. 189, 122.16.

Additional Training

BIMA Summer School for Millimeter-Wave Astronomy, 1998

Education, Service & Outreach

Last Updated by DMP on Monday, 15-Sep-2008 04:21:19 EDT.

Return to Main Page