Kelle Cruz
Kelle Cruz is an Assistant Professor in the Physics and Astronomy Department at Hunter College and a Research Associate at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), Department of Astrophysics. She specializes in observational studies of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs, specifically the link between stars, brown dwarfs, and planets. Born and raised in San Antonio, TX, she received both her BA and PhD in Physics and Astronomy from the University of Pennsylvania. She first came to New York and AMNH in 2004 as an NSF Astronomy and Postdoctoral Fellow. Before returning to New York, she spent two years as Spitzer Postdoctoral Fellow at Caltech in Pasadena, CA. Cruz has consistently been an advocate for professional development training for astronomers. She founded and is the primary contributor to a blog and wiki for professional astronomers AstroBetter.com where the tips of the trade are discussed.