Kimberly Arcand

Kimberly Kowal Arcand directs visualizations and other communications efforts for NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. She is responsible for all multimedia and visualization functions at the Chandra X-ray Center (CXC) located in Cambridge, Mass. Her role includes direction of the full range of products and activities, including imaging and astronomical visualization and research, program evaluation, digital storytelling, 3D printing and print development, Braille and tactile materials, exhibition creation and coordination, and development of museum/planetarium and broadcast products. She has been the recipient of group and individual awards from NASA and the Smithsonian. She was team lead in the development of the Chandra submission that won the Pirelli International award for science communication in Physics in 2007. She is a principle in the Aesthetics and Astronomy image response research project with international participation. She is principal investigator and co-chair for the “From Earth to the Universe” (FETTU) astronomical exhibition project that occurred in 1,000 locations across 70 countries (in 40 languages) worldwide throughout 2009, 2010 and 2011.  FETTU was awarded the Mani Bhaumik Prize for Excellence in Astronomy Education and Public Outreach for which prize Kim co-presented the keynote speech at the Communicating Astronomy with the Public 2010 Conference, in Cape Town, South Africa. Kim is also principal investigator for the follow up exhibition series “From Earth to the Solar System” (2011-2013), "Here, There & Everywhere" (2012-2015), and the "Light: Beyond the Bulb" project for the International Year of Light 2015.  Kim has been an employee of the Smithsonian Institution since June 1998.  She co-wrote the non-fiction books “Your Ticket to the Universe: A Guide To Exploring the Cosmos,” with Smithsonian Books (2013), "Light: The Visible Spectrum and Beyond" with Black Dog & Leventhal (2015), and "Coloring the Universe" with University of Alska Press (2015).

• After School
• Elementary
• Families
• General Public
• High School
• Informal
• Middle School
• SMD E/PO Community
• Underserved / Underrepresented

• Best Practices
• Data Use
• Evaluation
• Exhibits
• Informal Education
• Outreach
• Presentation
• Print Material
• Social Media
• Visualization
• Website

Missions:
Chandra X-ray Observatory http://chandra.si.edu

Projects:
Light: Beyond the Bulb (SPIE, IAU) http://lightexhibit.org

From Earth to the Universe (IAU, EPOESS) http://fromearthtotheuniverse.org
From Earth to the Solar System (EPOESS) http://fettss.arc.nasa.gov
Aesthetics & Astronomy (Smithsonian, SAO & NASA) http://astroart.cfa.harvard.edu
Here, There & Everywhere (EPOESS)

Commission 55: Communicating Astronomy with the Public, International Astronomical Union (IAU), 2012-

     Steering Committee for IAU Division C, 2012-2015; 

     IAU Working Group, ‘Cosmic Light’ Cornerstone of the IYL, 2014-

International Academy of Visual Arts (Webby Awards), 2009-present

Federally Employed Women, 2015-

American Astronomical Society

Leadership Rhode Island

Tech Collective

Full updated list at http://www.arcandwatzke.com/#!kim/c1llf

2015 publications:

-Arcand, K.K., Watzke, M., "Launching Light: Beyond the Bulb, for the UN’s International Year of Light 2015" Communicating Astronomy with the Public Journal, accepted 2015.

-DePasquale, J., Arcand K.K, Edmonds, P., "High Energy Vision: Processing X-rays"  Vol 3, No 2, 2015. 

-Smith, L.S., Smith, J.K, Arcand K.K, Smith, R.K, Bookbinder, J.,  "Aesthetics and Astronomy: How Labels Affect Understanding and Appreciating Deep Space Images," Curator, 2014. 

-Smith, L. F., Arcand, K. K., Smith, J. K., Smith, R. K., Bookbinder, J. (2015). Is That Real? Understanding Astronomical Images. Journal of Media and Communication Studies, 7(5), 88 - 100.