FAQs

how are the kids?
They grow like weed. Ella is in 3rd grade and Daniel in 1st grade. They like science, rock climbing, the magic school bus, mine craft, stuffed animals, spinach pie, and chocolate chip pancakes.

um, how do you pronounce your name?
-- my first name is easy. if you're an american you'd pronounce it just like "Karen". My last name is pronounced shah-ROHN' (like the israeli former prime minister, no relations). i won't be offended if you mispronounce my name though. it happens all the time. If you have a mac, type in your terminal "say sharohnne" and your computer will say my last name!

so your husband is an Astrophysicist too? how did you two meet?
-- we met at a conference in Hawaii when we were both grad students. i guess some good things come out of those conferences after all :)
where is he now?
Ben is using his "big data" skills to improve learning and teaching, with the REBUILD project. (here's the actual website)

did you have to serve in the army?
-- yes, i served 4 years as an infantry instructor, and spent most of the time at a sniping range. luckily, i never had to shoot anything that lives, only cardboard targets.

why astrophysics?
-- i always liked figuring out how things work. i got it from my dad, who is an engineer, and had infinite amount of patience when i was a kid to explain to me everything about anything. from my mom i got the artistic sense, which is probably what drew me to pursue a career in which i get to look at pretty pictures all the time.

any other interests beside your work?
-- (in no particular order) i like photography, graphics, crafts; building stuff; gardening; spending time with friends and family :)
i also like star-gazing and observing with small and large telescopes (or is that considered work?!? sometimes it's hard to tell...).