
Michael L Allen
Professor (career track) in the astronomy group
Professional interests
- STEM pedagogy related to backwards design, peer instruction, and assessment-driven learning
- robotic telescopes and student education
Teaching
- core coursework in the Physics & Astronomy major
- history & philosophy of science in the Honors College
- first-year level breadth requirements for non-majors
- senior-level science capstone
Service
- academic advising in Physics & Astronomy, and in General Studies: General Physical Sciences
- public outreach via the WSU planetarium and observatory, and with the Palouse Astronomical Society
- curriculum development & assessment committees at the departmental and college level
Education & Experience
- Faculty, Washington State University, 2002-present
- Staff scientist, David Dunlap Observatory, 1999-2002
- PhD Astronomy, University of Toronto, 1999
- MS Astronomy, University of Toronto, 1993
- BS Physics, McMaster University, 1992
Selected publications
With undergrads as co-authors
Ritterby, C, and Allen, ML. “Infrared distance to WZ Hya.” Journal of the American Association of Variable Star Observers, 51, 2023. https://app.aavso.org/jaavso/article/3850/
Fickle, J, and Allen, ML. “BViz photometry of the RR Lyrae star RU Ceti”. Journal of the American Association of Variable Star Observers, 50(1), 55, 2022. https://app.aavso.org/jaavso/article/3793/
Teaching & learning
Allen, ML. “The Moon – What’s it made of? Where did it come from?” National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science, 2019. https://www.nsta.org/ncss-case-study/moon
Joyner, H., and Allen, ML. “Humans in space: developing a sustainable food supply on Mars,” National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science, 2015. https://www.nsta.org/ncss-case-study/farming-space
Allen, Michael L., and Diane O. Kelly-Riley, “Promoting undergraduate critical thinking in astro 101 lab exercises,” Astronomy Education Review , 4(2), 10, 2005. doi: 10.3847/AER2005017
Astronomy
Biermann, PL, Kronberg, PP, Allen, ML, Meli, A, Seo, E-S. “The Origin of the Most Energetic Galactic Cosmic Rays: Supernova Explosions into Massive Star Plasma Winds”. Galaxies (2019), 7, 48. doi: 10.3390/galaxies7020048
Selected presentations
- PER1: How people learn
- PER2: Formulating learning goals and outcomes
- PER3: All about concept inventories
- PER5: First year seminars. What are they good for?
- Sagitta and Vulpecula (Palouse Divide Lodge Star Party 2019)
- Catching the Serpent by the tail (Palouse Divide Lodge Star Party 2018)
- Scootin’ through Scutum (Palouse Divide Lodge Star Party 2017)
- Star clusters (and other neat stuff) in Ophiuchus (Palouse Divide Lodge Star Party 2016)
- M82: 200 years of study (Table Mountain Star Party 2015)
- Speaking with ETI: we’re all ears (WSU Honors College Distinguished Lecture 2013-04-22)
Quick info
Office: Webster Physical Sciences 1246
Phone: (509) 335-1279
Fax: (509) 335-7816
E-mail: mlfa at wsu.edu
Areas of expertise: STEM education, astronomy