Education

2008  Master of Science, Physics
    The University of Iowa 

2003  Bachelor of Arts, Astrophysics & Mathematics
    Agnes Scott College


Employment History

2009-present  Research Scientist

    Georgia Institute of Technology, Electro-Optical Systems

    Laboratory 

2004-2009  Graduate Research Assistant/Teaching Assistant

    The University of Iowa, Department of Physics and

    Astronomy 

6/2004-8/2004  Visiting Astronomer

    Academia Sinica Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics 
 
3/2004-6/2004  Research Assistant

    California Institute of Technology, Owens Valley Radio

    Observatory 

2000-2003  Research Assistant

   Agnes Scott College, Department of Physics and Astronomy 

2002-2003  Tech Temp

    Georgia Institute of Technology, EOEML 

 

Biographical Summary

Allison Jo Mercer was raised in Maitland, FL where she was educated in the public schools system up until graduation from the International Baccalaureate program at Winter Park High School. Mercer went on to earn her BA in Astrophysics and Mathematics from Agnes Scott College and recently completed her MS in Physics from The University of Iowa. Mercer is currently employed as a Research Scientist (RS-1) at GTRI, and is currently pursuing graduate studies at the Georgia Institute of Technology's Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS).

 

Current Fields of Interest

Mercer's professional research interests are diverse, but include hydrodynamics, interferometry, radiative transfer, imaging instrumentation and systems, LIDAR, K-12 STEM education, climatology, astronomy, and atmospheric chemistry.

 

 

Software Experience

Programming languages including Microsoft Visual Basic, FORTRAN, AutoCAD, and C
Programming and graphical analysis in AIPS, Tecplot, MathCAD, and Maple


Registrations, Professional Affiliations and Special Honors

Women In Science and Engineering (WISE)
American Astronomical Society (AAS)
Physics Departmental Fellowship
The University of Iowa, June 2007/2008
Sandra H. Barkan Mentor Award
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, The University of Iowa, March 2007
Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Student Award
The American Astronomical Society, 209th meeting, January 2007
Hal L. Smith Memorial Scholarship For Academic Achievement
Agnes Scott College, August 1999 - May 2003
Georgia Pacific Award for Math, Physics, and Economics,
Georgia Pacific, August 2001
Chad Bogan Memorial Scholarship for Physics
August 1999


Major Reports and Publications

1. Kaaret, P, Lang, C.C, Corbel, S., and A.J. Mercer 2007, " A Radio Nebula Surrounding the Ultraluminous X-Ray Source in NGC 5408 Astrophysical Journal 666, 79

2. A. Mercer, Chezik, M., Lang, C., Figer, D.F., & P. Najarro 2007, "High Resolution Radio Observations of the Nebulae of Luminous Blue Variable Stars" Poster Presentation at the 209th American Astronomical Society (AAS) Meeting, Seattle, WA

3. De Pree, C.G., Wilner, D.J., Deblasio, J, Mercer, A.J., & Davis, L.E. 2005, " The Morphologies of Ultracompact H II Regions in W49A and Sagittarius B2: The Prevalence of Shells and a Modified Classification Scheme" Astrophysical Journal 2, 101

4. A.J. Beasley, B.J. Schuck, L. Dawson. M.W. Hodges, & A.J. Mercer 2004, "GEMS at OVRO: Education Courses in Radio Astronomy" Poster Presentation at 204th AAS Meeting, Denver, CO

5. A. Mercer, C. De Pree, & J. Blondin 2004, "Hydrodynamic Simulations of Ultracompact HII regions"
Poster Presentation at the 203rd American Astronomical Society (AAS) Meeting, Atlanta, GA

6. De Pree, C. G.; Wilner, D. J.; Mercer, A. J.; Davis, L. E.; Goss, W. M.; Kurtz, S. 2004, "Broad Recombination Line Objects in W49N on 600 AU Scales" Astrophysical Journal (Letters) 600, 286

7. C. De Pree & A. Mercer 2003, "Neutral Hydrogen in M51: Scientific Research and Presentation in the Introductory Classroom" Second Annual Georgia Regional Astronomy Meeting, Atlanta, GA

8. C. De Pree, L. Davis, A. Mercer, & D. Wilner. 2003, "Morphologies and Physical Paramaters in a Large Sample of UCHII Regions" Poster Presentation at the 201st American Astronomical Society Meeting, Seattle, WA

9. G. Gimmestad, D. Roberts, A. Bowling, A. Mercer. 2002, "Program for Undergraduate Research in Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) in the Metro-Atlanta Area", Talk given at Optical Society of America's Optics in the Southeast (OISE) Conference, Huntsville, AL