Thomas Nelson

Thomas Nelson has a diverse work experience, spanning various roles in academia and non-profit organizations.

From 2009 to 2011, they worked as a Scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, conducting quantitative research in X-ray astrophysics. During this time, they also presented research findings, wrote proposals, and participated in public education and outreach activities.

From 2011 to 2016, Thomas held positions as a Research Associate and Lecturer at the University of Minnesota. As a research associate, they carried out research in the field of astronomy, focusing on astrophysical explosions called novae. Additionally, they obtained telescope time through successful proposal calls. As a lecturer, they taught introductory astronomy courses and an upper-division cosmology course, implementing active learning strategies and creating coding projects.

From 2016 to 2018, Thomas served as a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh. Thomas designed and executed research programs in astrophysics and higher education pedagogy, securing funding from organizations like NASA, the Smithsonian Institute, and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Notably, they implemented a $590,000 NSF program to develop and evaluate a new curriculum for college astronomy courses.

Moving on to non-profit organizations, Thomas worked as the Director of External Relations for City of Asylum from 2018 to 2022. In this role, they led individual and corporate fundraising efforts, including direct mail campaigns, annual galas, and donor cultivation. During their tenure, they more than doubled individual giving and increased the number of individual donors.

After City of Asylum, Thomas joined Epistemix as the Head of Learning and Community Development from 2022 to 2022. Thomas designed and created the learning infrastructure for an agent-based simulation software platform, including tutorials for new users. Thomas also provided software training and support to both internal teams and external clients.

Most recently, Thomas joined DeepLearning.AI in 2023 as a Curriculum Product Manager.

Thomas Nelson began their education in 1993 at the Music School of Douglas Academy. However, there is no information provided regarding any degree or field of study during this period. In 1999, they enrolled at the University of Glasgow and completed a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Physics and Astronomy in 2003. Following this, they attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, starting in 2003 and obtaining a Master of Science (MS) degree in Astronomy with a minor in Physics in 2005. Thomas continued their studies at the same university and earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Astronomy in 2009.