Stephanie JH Deppe, PhD

Stephanie (Hamilton) Deppe, PhD (she/her) is a planetary scientist, science communicator, & public engagement specialist (not necessarily in that order). She loves making science accessible to everyone and enabling other researchers to do the same.

She’s delighted to be part of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Education and Public Outreach team as the Astronomy Content Strategist, where she shares the amazing stories of the observatory, the people who work there, and the science they do.

If you want to learn more about either astronomy or science communication, look no further!

Planetary Science

As an observational astronomer, Stephanie used the Dark Energy Survey project to discover and study objects in the Kuiper Belt region of the Solar System. One of these discoveries was of a new dwarf planet candidate!

Science Writing

Stephanie completed a 2019 AAAS Mass Media fellowhip, and her written work has appeared on Astrobites, The Planetary Society, The Union of Concerned Scientists, and recently in a printed issue of Natural History magazine.

Public Speaking

Stephanie has been invited to speak about both astronomy and science communication in a variety of settings, including online interviews, planetaria talks, 21-and-over bar talks, and Youtube videos.

Conference Planning

Stephanie has led or helped organize over five science communication conferences, including ComSciCon-Flagship, ComSciCon-Michigan, and Science Talk. She has consistently led efforts to improve inclusivity at all events.

Engagement & Outreach

Stephanie has led or participated in over a dozen community outreach events including Portal to the Public events, museum demonstrations, and physics demonstration days for K-12 students.

Communications Training

Stephanie has trained >500 researchers to communicate science effectively through the RELATE organization at the University of Michigan, as an active member of ComSciCon, and as a freelance consultant.