Zoe Learner Ponterio

Manager

Spacecraft Planetary Image Facility, Cornell University

I came to Central New York as an astronomy graduate student at Cornell in 2002, as Zoe Learner, where I worked on the Mars Exploration Rovers mission for four years. I then taught high school math and physics for ten years. In 2017 I returned to Cornell as the Manager of the Spacecraft Planetary Imaging Facility to combine my passions for space exploration and education by supporting researchers and sharing the science and wonder of planetary missions with everyone throughout the region.

Sessions in which Zoe Learner Ponterio attends

Wednesday 5 February, 2020

Time Zone: (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada)

7:00 PM

Exoplanets in Our Backyard

1 hour, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Space Center Theater

Presentation

Our generation is the first in human history to travel to other worlds. With the help of robots, we’ve seen the lava plains of Venus, the fire f...

Thursday 6 February, 2020

Time Zone: (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada)

7:30 AM

SEEC 101

15 minutes, 7:30 AM - 7:45 AM

Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Space Center Theater

Session

8:00 AM

Keynote Session- Thursday

1 hour 30 minutes, 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Space Center Theater

Keynote

Mike Kincaid oversees strategic direction and leadership of NASA’s STEM engagement function,...

10:00 AM

NASA’s Target Mars: Introduction to Engineering Design for Middle School Students

1 hour 30 minutes, 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Boardroom

Session

LTC John Wilson III, NSPACE (Participant)

John Davis, NSPACE (Participant)

It’s All About Timing! NASA’s Mars 2020 is set to launch this year in preparation for the first humans to step foot on Ma...

11:30 AM

Quick lunch 1

15 minutes, 11:30 AM - 11:45 AM

Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Astronaut Gallery - Lunch 1

Lunch

This option is for those who would like to grab a quick lunch and then go to a session. We need to make sure we have a good count for food for the ...

11:45 AM

Part of the Mission: student and community participation in space science research

45 minutes, 11:45 AM - 12:30 PM

Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Learning Innovation Center- ERC

Session

Phyllis Friello, Space Center Houston (Participant)

Join us and learn how we can all become active participants in the mission by contributing to the wealth of knowledge nee...

12:45 PM

STEAM Saturdays: Learning through the weekend

45 minutes, 12:45 PM - 1:30 PM

Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Learning Innovation Center- Lab 1

Session

Marian Gilmore, Steam Powered Learning (Participant)

Beth Favor, DoDEA (Participant)

Here's a great way to infuse your passion of STEAM and excite students outside of the classroom! Joining this session wil...

1:45 PM

NASA ASTRO CAMP® Opportunities for ALL Communities!

1 hour 30 minutes, 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM

Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Mission Briefing Center

Session

Ms. Maria Lott, Stennis Space Center (Participant)

NASA’s SSC ASTRO CAMP collaborates partnerships with YSOs, schools, museums, libraries, and universities placing "ASTRO CAMP in the Communities ...

3:45 PM

Coding With Drones: The Mars Helicopter

1 hour 30 minutes, 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM

Signup required

Gilruth Center - Off-Site Location (take bus) - Destiny

Session

Kellie Arenz, Mukwonago Area School District- Park View Middle School (Participant)

Ronda McCarthy, St. Theresa Catholic School (Participant)

This session will introduce the Mars Helicopter that will be traveling on the Mars 2020 Rover. Codable drones will be use...

5:15 PM

Networking Reception

1 hour 44 minutes, 5:16 PM - 7:00 PM

Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Astronuat Gallery

Reception

Join the ISS National Lab for an evening of networking and learning we will be hosting a free reception to showcase our partners in the...

Friday 7 February, 2020

Time Zone: (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada)

8:00 AM

Keynote- Friday

1 hour, 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Space Center Theater

Keynote

Lara KearneyDeputy Program Manager, Gateway Program Kearney serves as Gateway Deputy Progra...

9:30 AM

Houston – We Have a Solution

1 hour 30 minutes, 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Mission Briefing Center- Preshow

Session

Laura Dunn, School District Hillsborough County (Participant)

Ready to challenge your problem-solving skills? Participants will work as teams to create an engineering build with eas...

11:00 AM

Lunch 1 Friday

1 hour, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Astronaut Gallery - Lunch 1

12:15 PM

Roving on Mars 2020 - Utilizing Current Events in Space Exploration to Engage Diverse Learners

45 minutes, 12:15 PM - 1:00 PM

Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Boardroom

Session

Jenny Mccall, Fayette County Public Schools (Participant)

Jill Marconi, Poland Local Schools (Participant)

Participants will design, build, and test rubber band-powered rovers out of recycled or inexpensive material and discuss ...

1:15 PM

Space is Universal - tools for reaching all learners

1 hour 30 minutes, 1:15 PM - 2:45 PM

Signup required

Gilruth Center - Off-Site Location (take bus) - Inspiration

Session

Stephanie McMahon, Northern Arizona University Center for STEM Teaching and Learning/PLANETS (Participant)

Learn about tools to reach students with disabilities, using hands-on accessible STEM activities. Now more than ever we n...

3:15 PM

The Lives of Stars

1 hour 30 minutes, 3:15 PM - 4:45 PM

Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Mission Briefing Center- Preshow

Session

Rachel Fuechsl, UT McDonald Observatory (Participant)

Martinique Pautzke, McDonald Observatory (Participant)

Stars evolve over time in a natural cycle. This session will explore the lives of stars from formation to death, using kinesthetic activities. Part...

Saturday 8 February, 2020

Time Zone: (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada)

8:00 AM

Poster/Networking session

30 minutes, 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Astronuat Gallery

Session

Meet the SEEC regional crew member and learn about further STEM resources and opportunity.In addition, we know that many of yo...

8:45 AM

Algae in Space-NASA Seeks Biology Investigation Collaborators

45 minutes, 8:45 AM - 9:30 AM

Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Learning Innovation Center- Lab 4

Session

Ms. Alicia Baturoni Cortez, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Participant)

In May 2019, a community college student's dream became reality, when the algae experiment she had growing in her kitchen...

10:00 AM

Explore our Solar System with Thermal Imaging and Magnetism

1 hour 30 minutes, 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Mission Briefing Center- Preshow

Session

Colleen Gilchrest, Salado ISD (Participant)

Laura Tomlin, Salado Middle School (Participant)

Engaging activities explore how spacecraft are used to map the solar system. Using Juno spacecraft as a guide, participan...

11:40 AM

Lunch with An Astronaut

1 hour 25 minutes, 11:40 AM - 1:05 PM

Available

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Events Building

Session

This optional event gives you the opportunity to hear first-hand stories from a NASA astronaut while enjoying a delicious lunch prepared by our ...

1:45 PM

Making Moon Madness: It's not just a PHASE!

1 hour 30 minutes, 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM

Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Learning Innovation Center- Lab 1

Session

Sabrina Hughbanks, NASA OKSG (Participant)

Dorinda Risenhoover, NASA OKSG (Other Participant)

Stacey Stevenson, NASA Oklahoma Space Grant Consortium (Participant)

Abigail Campbell, NASA OKSG (Participant)

Participants will be actively engaged in two hands-on STEAM-based activities designed to aid their students understanding...

3:30 PM

Keynote- Saturday

1 hour, 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Space Center Theater

Keynote

Holly Ridings She is a mechanical engineer and the first woman to be chief flight director. She leads the elite gro...