Dan Lyons is the observatory director and the Homestead Garden manager at Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum. Lyons was born and raised in Kenosha and worked part time at the sanctuary while in high school and part of his college years. After college, he returned and has been full-time staff member for the past four years.

Question: What is your educational background?

Answer: Bachelors in physics, Carthage College; masters in physics, New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology (doing radio astrophysics); Ph.D. in physics and astronomy education research, University of Wyoming; postdoc in cognitive neuroscience at the University of Chicago (doing research on embodied cognition in physics learning).

Q: What types of responsibilities do you handle as the Observatory Director?

A: The Schoolyard Observatory was constructed October through December 2016. So far, Im working on getting the telescope, dome, and astro-imaging camera all synced with computer controls. The technology and instruments are challenging and fun to work with. This fall, Ill be hosting our first public observing nights.

Q: What types of responsibilities do you handle as the Homestead Garden manager?

A: This year was a chance to start from scratch on designing and building the new Homestead Garden. We had a small Market Garden at a different location in 2015 and learned a lot. We took our experience and really refined the design to include some unique attractions like the giant monarch butterfly shaped vegetable garden and the popcorn labyrinth. Its my job to make sure the new facility is equipped with everything we need for the new Growing Healthy grade school field trip starting this October. That means I work on everything from designing the garden beds, planting, and landscaping, to doing construction work on the building facilities like installing plumbing and electrical to make sure everything will be ready on time for the fall program.

Q: What has been your favorite initiative at the sanctuary?

A: At the moment, Im really excited about a partnership we have with a local farmer to grow organic popcorn. Hawthorn Hollow is a non-profit and every year we put a tremendous amount of effort into fund raising events. Im hoping to develop the farming partnership to help generate revenue to support the educational programs at the Homestead Gardens through organic heirloom popcorn sales. We have five acres planted off site with an anticipated yield of around 15 thousand pounds of popcorn. Weve never tried anything remotely near this large of a scale, and Im looking forward to the challenge of getting that much popcorn delivered to the public over the next year.

Q: How do you get the community involved with Hawthorn Hollow?

A: We have a support organization call the Friends of Hawthorn Hollow that puts out newsletter three times a year with news and events. Mostly, we use social media outlets like Facebook to keep people aware of events on a weekly basis.

Q: How did you get interested in this field of work?

A: I was born a curious person who, more than anything, needed to understand how everything works. Its a no-brainer that it led me down the road to physics and astronomy. Nature, as people generally think of it, isnt really separated from the rest of the universe. The Earth is really just a giant spaceship we all live on as we fly around the sun which is flying through space around the center of the Milky Way. I spend my time every day working to make the programs in the nature sanctuary successful so people can have a place to go and be with and a part of that nature.

Q: How do you engage with the outdoors when not at work?

A: I garden as much of my yard at home as possible. Growing your own food is so satisfying, and the fresh garden produce cant be beat. When Im not gardening, I still walk in the woods. I like to tour the forest and nature preserves of Southeastern Wisconsin and Northeastern Illinois with my girlfriend, Carley, and our big dog, Marlin.

See the article here:

Snapshot: Dan Lyons of Hawthorn Hollow - Kenosha News