Community Engagement

The faculty in the Department of Physics, Astronomy and Geosciences are involved in many outreach projects in the Baltimore region. A few of these are listed below:

in the planetarium

Planetarium Shows

One of the most popular public outreach programs in the college are the monthly planetarium shows. Original live presentations on the current night sky and modern astronomical research results are shown throughout the year. All are welcome and there is no admission charge.

Watson-King Planetarium
a physics seminar

Department Seminars

The department hosts thought provoking seminars featuring faculty, students or invited speakers every Friday at 11am. Upcoming speakers and topics are posted in the campus event calendar.

portable planetarium at a school

Portable Planetarium

Our 12’ high portable planetarium allows us to present the cosmos to audiences who can’t travel easily. We can accommodate 20 people at a time, sitting on the floor—more if they are friendly. Planetarium shows can be tailored to the audience, and can contain up-to-the-minute scientific results when appropriate.

teacher working with young students

Project ASTRO

Towson University is the lead institution in the Baltimore Project ASTRO partnership, with the Maryland Science Center, and the Space Telescope Science Institute. Baltimore Project ASTRO and Project ASTRO sites in other regions across the country link professional and amateur astronomers with K-9 teachers to bring inquiry-based astronomy activities to classrooms. 

Dr Smolyoninova visiting a school

STEM Days at Schools

Department faculty along with Towson undergraduate and master's students aim to attract youth to STEM disciplines by presenting workshops in area schools. Recent full-day workshops at elementary schools include "Magnetic Fields" and "Playdoh Circuits"

teachers in training

MADE-CLEAR

MADE CLEAR (Maryland and Delaware Climate Change Education and Assessment Research) is a cooperative agreement led by the University System of Maryland and the University of Delaware and funded by the National Science Fondation. MADE-CLEAR at Towson University is working to improve the climate literacy of future teachers, but also other science majors and non-science majors.