Current Student Staff
Jessica DeCaire smiling in front of activity demoing spacetime
Jessica DeCaire (Fall 2023 - )

Hi! I'm Jessica and I a biology major with a concentration in wildlife and conservation. I am also a transfer student, and this is my second year at Ball State! I grew up attending programs and events at my local parks and science center. Over the past few years, I've taken on quite a few interpretation roles and have taught people of all ages about natural and cultural resources as well as all things animals! I joined the Brown Planetarium team because I love learning about new things that broaden my understanding of the universe. I'm so excited to continue my journey here at the Brown Planetarium and to be a part of making science accessible!

Olivia with projector
Olivia Bishop (Fall 2024 - )

Hi! My name is Olivia Bishop, and I am a first-year graduate student in the Physics Master’s program at Ball State. I’ve always loved studying science through various classes and interacting with professors. I also enjoy exploring nature as there is so much science to see throughout nature. Thus, I love taking hikes and walks and exploring where I can with my own two feet. However, we can’t explore the whole world on our own two feet, which is why I’m excited about joining the Brown Planetarium team. The planetarium allows us to explore what was once out of reach, so we can now easily see and learn more about the planets, stars, and more. I’m excited to discover more about science at the planetarium!

Angie with projector
Angie Schocke (Fall 2024 - )

Hello! I'm Angie and I'm a natural resource and environmental management major with a minor in political science. This is my first year at Ball State. As a child, I always loved hearing the folk tales about the stars. As I got older I fell in love with the science of our universe that made those stories possible. I joined the Brown Planetarium team because it provides the community with a learning environment that shows both the science and the stories. Being an active volunteer within my community is very important to me. This is why I love that this position allows me to help and connect with my new Ball State community.

Riley with projector
Riley Heady (Fall 2024 - )

Hi! I'm Riley. I am a freshman astronomy major and physics minor. I love anything to do with science, but my calling has always been towards the stars and beyond. I love to read and do research in my spare time. I also just love being around the people I know and care about. I can get a bit nerdy at times, especially when it comes to anything related to astronomy. My favorite planet I would have to say is J1407b. For those who do not know, J1407b is a planet like Saturn, but with rings over about 112 million miles in width. My second favorite would be 55 Cancri e which is partly made of diamonds. I decided to work at the planetarium for the pure joy of it. Hosting planetarium shows is something I can see myself doing in the future and this experience is both a learning experience and an extremely fun experience.

Wilhelmina with projector
Wilhelmina Opferman (Fall 2024 - )

Hello! I'm a junior theatre creations major and recent transfer to Ball State. While I'm not majoring in a STEM field, I still absolutely love space and learning more about it! It's incredibly beautiful and fascinating, and observing how humans interact with space tells us a lot about ourselves as a species. I love being able to tell stories, and planetariums are the perfect place to tell stories about space! In my free time, I enjoy writing, reading, sewing, and embroidery, as well as collecting funky earrings (a lot of which are space themed).

Aiden with plasma ball and spectrum tube
Aiden Paul (Spring 2025)

Hey, I'm Aiden, a junior at Indiana Academy! Before coming to the Academy, I attended Pendleton Heights, just south of Anderson. Academically, I enjoy physics, math, and engineering, and I hope to major in electrical engineering. Outside the classroom, I enjoy programming, tinkering with hardware and electrical projects, building robots, and learning as much as I can in any subject area. When I was a little kid, I went through a "space phase" that I never quite grew out of. During that time, I met astronaut Kjell Lindgren, who inspired me to keep learning. I'm excited for this opportunity!

Brittany Short (Fall 2012 - Summer 2016)

Jesse Watson (Fall 2013 - Fall 2014)

Monique Gabb (Fall 2013 - Summer 2016)

Kacie Shourd (Fall 2014 – Spring 2015)

Liz Winks (Fall 2014 – Spring 2015)

Annaliese Bankson (Fall 2014 – Spring 2015)

Lily Larson (Spring 2014 - Spring 2017)

Ken Castillo (Fall 2014 – Spring 2015)

Josh Conley (Summer 2015 - Spring 2016)

Brody Conner (Summer 2015 - Spring 2016)

Ceridwyn Snow (Fall 2015 - Summer 2016)

Kara Tynes (Fall 2015 - Spring 2019)

Sarah Vise (Fall 2015 - Spring 2019)

Dylan Griffith (Spring 2016)

Paul Hettinger (Fall 2016 - Spring 2018)

Jacob Parker (Fall 2016 - Spring 2018)

Katie Rogers (Summer 2017)

Hunter Mauer (Summer 2017)

Jessica Walsh (Fall 2017 - Spring 2019)

Melanie Isenbarger (Spring 2018 - Spring 2021)

Brielle Tilson (Fall 2018 - Spring 2020)

Daniel Brossard (Spring 2019 - Spring 2020)

Kyle Koeller (Spring 2019 - Spring 2020)

Gloria Swardenski (Fall 2019 - Spring 2020)

Caleb Whitcomb (Spring 2020 - Summer 2024)

Alec Neal (Fall 2020)

Richard Gorby (Fall 2020 - Spring 2021)

Nicolette Terracciano (Fall 2020 - Spring 2023)

Riley Braselton (Fall 2021 - Spring 2022)

Greg Gallagher (Spring 2021 - Fall 2022)

Madeline Shepley (Fall 2021 - Spring 2023)

Kenya Cole (Fall 2022)

Jake Kallman (Fall 2023)

Kyree Standifer (Fall 2022 - Spring 2024)

Mya Shelton (Summer 2023 - Spring 2024)

Wyatt Baxter (Fall 2023 - Spring 2024)

Sky Wood (Spring 2024)

Aaron Coggeshall (Fall 2023 - Spring 2024)

Jon Lawler (Spring 2023 - Spring 2024)

Daniel Noble (Fall 2024)