Matt Fleenor
Research:
Fleenor’s work stems primarily from his capacities as an observational astrophysicist, a science educator, and a materials scientist. As a curriculum developer for the Skynet Robotic Telescope Network (Skynet), many student projects arise. Recent successful projects involve galaxy evolution (Sean Swick, top oral presentation at VASC 2025) and interstellar gas dynamics (Edmund Garcia, SSI 2025). As a science educator, Fleenor cultivates awareness and understanding about physics and its applications to student populations from grade 3 through undergraduate. Previously trained in materials science and engineering, Fleenor works with physics and applied physics majors to explore how physics fits within other STEMM disciplines (like bio-medicine, physical geography, aerospace engineering, geology, and marine science). All of these activities are highly collaborative as Fleenor enjoys the process of learning and relating to others. (Fleenor likes to think of himself as a fully realized version of Mr. Ray.)
Publications:
- Student astronomers, observational astrophysics, and “doing science”, Matthew C. Fleenor, Megan Dubay, Rachel Freed, Jonathan W. Keohane, David Sukow, T. Kaleé Tock & Daniel E. Reichart; Astronomy Education Journal (Education and Practice), accepted, 2025.
- Quantitative Astrophotography: Interpreting Astrophysics from Star-Formation Regions, Matthew C. Fleenor, Daniel E. Reichart, Joshua Haislip &Vladimir Kouprianov; Astronomy Education Journal (2024: AstroEdu Conference 2023 – Proceedings), 14 August 2024, https://doi.org/10.32374/AEJ.AECON.2023.109aepw
- Programmatic innovations that accord with the retention of women in STEM careers, Rama Balasubramanian, Danielle Findley-Van Nostrand & Matthew C. Fleenor; Frontiers in Education (Sec. STEM Education), Vol. 8, 12 March 2023, https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1018241.
Student Opportunities:
As the UMW Physics Faculty is highly collaborative, Fleenor works with several student on projects the academic year with URES 197 and Physics 491/492 independent research and during the summer with UMW’s Irene Piscopo Rodgers ’59 Summer Science Institute (SSI). Over the past three years, these projects have all related to observational astrophysics. Fleenor also facilitates the summer UMW-Coastal Carolina partnership in experimental environmental fluid dynamics with Erin E. Hackett, PhD.
