Amy went back to school in 2019 learn Geography Information Systems. She is currently a Masters of Science in Geography graduate student in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Texas State University where she is researching light pollution. Her thesis project compares sky brightness of International Dark Sky Association designated International Dark Sky Communities to control communities in Texas. She hopes to contribute to light pollution research in order to aid in the preservation of our night sky. In 2019, Amy created the Texas Dark Sky Quality map story map or her capstone project for the Austin Community College GIS Certificate program.
She traveled to the Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve in West Texas in January 2023 to take sky brightness readings at the communities inside the reserve. This past spring, she has been taking readings at all IDA Dark Sky Communities in Central Texas. This summer, she will be traveling over 2,100 miles to take readings at control communities. You can follow her project on instagram at @starryskyaustin.