Karen is the SED Web Editor-in-Chief, managing the Code 600 organization website development team and helping to improve the overall web presence of Code 600's websites by shaping policy and assisting web developers across the Directorate. She is co-organizer of the Web Common Interest Group, which holds monthly meetings for web developers, and she serves on several Web-related committees at the GSFC and NASA level.
Prior to her current position, Karen was the webmaster for the HEASARC (High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center), LHEA (Lab. for High Energy Astrophysics), and then ASD (Astrophysics Science Division) and several project sites. In addition, she developed graphics for public outreach for the HEASARC and the Astrophysics Sciences Division. She designed the first 13 Imagine the Universe CD-ROMs, half a dozen outreach posters, and many mission displays and materials. Throughout this period, Karen provided peer review coordination and technical support for the ROSAT, ASCA, RXTE, GALEX, Fermi, Suzaku, and Swift missions.
In her first 5 years at Goddard, Karen was a solar forecaster for the Solar Maximum Mission and then moved to the Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, where she was a mission planner for the Broad Band X-ray Telescope, which flew on the Space Shuttle in December 1990. After that, she joined the newly-created HEASARC where she supported scientists analyzing data from the ROSAT and ASCA x-ray missions. She also edited the HEASARC journal, Legacy, and the ROSAT and ASCA Newsletters.
Sciences and Exploration Directorate Website
Working with a team of developers to improve the functionality and user experience of the SED flagship website, science.gsfc.nasa.gov.
SED general web presence
Working with Divisions to update out-of-date websites with new content and bring their design into the NASA SED look & feel. Developing a set of mission and project templates so new projects can get a site up quickly and spend their time on their project instead of on web development.
8/2008
-
Present
SED Web Editor in Chief
SP Systems & ADNET,
NASA/GSFC
10/2000
-
1/2009
Astrophysics Science Division Webmaster
SP Systems,
NASA/GSFC
10/1995
-
1/2009
HEASARC Webmaster
Hughes STX & Raytheon ITSS & SP Systems,
NASA/GSFC
1991
-
1995
HEASARC Support Scientist
Hughes STX,
NASA/GSFC
3/1989
-
1/1991
BBXRT Mission Planner
STX,
NASA/GSFC
1/1987
-
3/1989
Solar Forecaster (SMM)
NOAA & STX,
NASA/GSFC
12/1985
-
12/1986
Solar Observer
NOAA,
Boulder, Colorado
B.A. in Physics from the University of Colorado, 1986
(emphasis in astrophysical, planetary and atmospheric sciences)
American Astronomical Society,
1990
-
2003
Outstanding Achievement Award - ADNET (2020)
Test
Special Act Team Award - Science Jamboree support (2019)
ADNET CREW Award (2015)
ADNET CREW Award - GSFC Code 600 Web Development Team (2013)
Peer Award - Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics (2003)
Group Achievement Award - ASCA Mission Operations Team (1996)
Group Achievement Award - High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (1996)
Peer Award - Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics (1994)
Special Act Group Award - ASCA Team (1993)
Group Achievement Award - Astro-1 Payload Science Team (1992)
Special Act Group Award - ROSAT Science Data Center (1991)
Group Achievement Award - Astro-1 Investigators Group (1991)
Refereed
Boyd, P. T., A. P. Smale, and K. M. Smale. 2008. "AstroCappella: Songs of the Universe."
BAAS,
212:
254.
Non-Refereed
Kuehn, K. 1989. "Predicting Solar Activity."
SAR Company Newsletter
5:
1-4.
Supported over 40 NASA mission peer reviews 1993--2010.
AstroCappella poster
2008
Description of the AstroCappella education project, presented at the joint AAS/APS meeting's International Year of Astronomy session.
AstroCappella
1998
-
Present
Karen is involved in the AstroCappella project, an effort to bring science to students through a cappella music.
Imagine the Universe CD-ROM
1997
-
2009
http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/
Responsible for design and layout of the first 13 editions of this CD-ROM collection of GSFC Astrophysics educational web sites.
Karen is the SED Web Editor-in-Chief, managing the Code 600 organization website development team and helping to improve the overall web presence of Code 600's websites by shaping policy and assisting web developers across the Directorate. She is co-organizer of the Web Common Interest Group, which holds monthly meetings for web developers, and she serves on several Web-related committees at the GSFC and NASA level.
Prior to her current position, Karen was the webmaster for the HEASARC (High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center), LHEA (Lab. for High Energy Astrophysics), and then ASD (Astrophysics Science Division) and several project sites. In addition, she developed graphics for public outreach for the HEASARC and the Astrophysics Sciences Division. She designed the first 13 Imagine the Universe CD-ROMs, half a dozen outreach posters, and many mission displays and materials. Throughout this period, Karen provided peer review coordination and technical support for the ROSAT, ASCA, RXTE, GALEX, Fermi, Suzaku, and Swift missions.
In her first 5 years at Goddard, Karen was a solar forecaster for the Solar Maximum Mission and then moved to the Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, where she was a mission planner for the Broad Band X-ray Telescope, which flew on the Space Shuttle in December 1990. After that, she joined the newly-created HEASARC where she supported scientists analyzing data from the ROSAT and ASCA x-ray missions. She also edited the HEASARC journal, Legacy, and the ROSAT and ASCA Newsletters.
