Statia Luszcz Cook is a Clinical Associate Professor in Liberal Studies (NYU), and a Research Associate in the Astrophysics Department at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). She observes the atmospheres of planets and moons using ground-based and space-based telescopes, and develops models to determine atmospheric characteristics from her data. Statia’s research interests include the global circulation and weather on Uranus and Neptune; the interactions between Io's active volcanoes and its tenuous atmosphere; and the influence of cometary impacts on the Solar System's giant planets.
Prior to joining NYU, Statia was a Science Fellow and Lecturer in Astronomy at Columbia University. In this role, she taught multidisciplinary science to both science and non-science majors, and co-developed a course specifically for nontraditional students. As a Postdoctoral Fellow at AMNH, Statia participated in an endeavor to directly image planets -- and their larger cousins, brown dwarfs -- around other stars.
Statia is passionate about supporting students in their adventures outside of their comfort zones and into the incredible Universe beyond. Since learning is an active process, Statia integrates discussions, labs, activities, and field trips into her classes. One of Statia's favorite parts of teaching is the incredible richness of perspectives that her students bring to the classroom, and she strongly believes that science benefits from more diverse voices.