Jeff Dershem

Jeff Dershem is a graduate of Grand Junction High School (class of ’89) and holds a BS in physics from Mesa State College (class of ’94) where he was awarded NASA Space Grant scholarships for the 1992-93 and 1993-94 academic years.  While at Mesa College, Jeff was a team member and later team leader for the Power Subsystem Team of the Colorado Student High-Altitude Rocket Payload (CSHARP).  Jeff is also a member of the Mesa State College chapters of both the Sigma Pi Sigma (physics) and Kappa Mu Epsilon (mathematics) national academic honor societies.  Jeff taught basic astronomy classes to adults through the Community Education Department of Mesa State College for several years and is also a long-time member and former Vice President of the Western Colorado Astronomy Club of Grand Junction, Colorado.

            His astronomy column is featured monthly in Things To Do (formerly Newcomer’s Magazine) of Grand Junction.  His writing has also appeared in Colorado Country Life, the Western Slope edition of the Fence Post, Our Backyard, and Grand Valley Magazine.  When he is not teaching, lecturing, or writing, Jeff can be found pursuing one of his many hobbies such as photography or playing trombone in the Grand Junction Centennial Band.