ESP Biography



LANCE SIMMS, Postdoctoral Researcher at Lawrence Livermore Lab




Major: Applied Physics

College/Employer: Lawrence Livermore National Labs

Year of Graduation: G

Picture of Lance Simms

Brief Biographical Sketch:

I received my BS in physics from UCSB, where I spent my final two years tutoring. Then I did graduate school at Stanford in applied physics, where the focus of my doctoral thesis was on detectors for astronomy. Now I'm a postdoctoral researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Labs where I work on space security and astronomy projects.

I was president of the Stanford Astronomical Society from 2006-2008, during which time I tried to teach people as much about astronomy as I could. What I really love about teaching astronomy is that so many of the questions that come up don't yet have answers. I try to inspire students by telling them that only the tiniest imaginable fraction of outer space has been explored, and by studying astronomy we are truly venturing into uncharted territory.



Past Classes

  (Clicking a class title will bring you to the course's section of the corresponding course catalog)

H2230: Backcountry Camping and Basic Survival Skills in Splash! Spring 2012 (Apr. 21 - 22, 2012)
Did you know that the vast majority of land in a National Park like Yosemite can't be explored in a day hike? Some of the most beautiful scenery and geological formations on earth can only be seen by walking dozens of miles from the nearest road (if you don't have your own personal helicopter). So how do people get to these places then? In this class we'll introduce the basics of backcountry hiking and camping that are necessary to really get yourself out into the wilderness. We'll cover things like camping gear, route planning, weather prediction, navigation, first-aid, and finding water. And we'll also talk about some of the basic survival skills that will come in handy in almost any emergency situation.


H1514: Backcountry Camping and Basic Survival Skills in Splash! Spring 2011 (Apr. 16 - 17, 2011)
Did you know that the vast majority of land in a National Park like Yosemite can't be explored in a day hike? Some of the most beautiful scenery and geological formations on earth can only be seen by walking dozens of miles from the nearest road (if you don't have your own personal helicopter). So how do people get to these places then? In this class we'll introduce the basics of backcountry hiking and camping that are necessary to really get yourself out into the wilderness. We'll cover things like camping gear, route planning, weather prediction, navigation, first-aid, and finding water. And we'll also talk about some of the basic survival skills that will come in handy in almost any emergency situation.


S297: Exploring Astronomy: The Night Sky and Beyond in Splash! Spring 2009 (Apr. 04 - 05, 2009)
Ever wanted to know how to find the North Star? Did you know that you can use the moon and the stars as a clock? Come learn all about our Night Sky and the treasures it holds. We'll learn about cool tricks like how to figure out your latitude by finding the North Star and how to navigate with the stars. We'll also explore the veritable zoo of astronomical objects: from stars to massive galaxies. And if the weather cooperates, we'll have a chance to look at the sun through a telescope with a solar filter.


S436: Exploring Astronomy: The Night Sky and Beyond in Splash! Spring 2009 (Apr. 04 - 05, 2009)
Ever wanted to know how to find the North Star? Did you know that you can use the moon and the stars as a clock? Come learn all about our Night Sky and the treasures it holds. We’ll learn about cool tricks like how to figure out your latitude by finding the North Star and how to navigate with the stars. We’ll also explore the veritable zoo of astronomical objects: from stars to massive galaxies. And if the weather cooperates, we’ll have a chance to look at the sun through a telescope with a solar filter.