Astronaut Nicole Stott

NASA

Nicole Stott

Astronaut~Artist~Earthling

Nicole is an astronaut and artist who creatively combines the awe and wonder of her spaceflight experience with her artwork to inspire everyone’s appreciation of our role as crewmates here on Spaceship Earth.

She is a veteran NASA Astronaut with two spaceflights and 104 days living and working in space as a crewmember on both the International Space Station (ISS) and the Space Shuttle. Personal highlights of her time in space were performing a spacewalk (10th woman to do so), flying the robotic arm to capture the first HTV, working with her international crew in support of the multi-disciplinary science onboard the orbiting laboratory, painting a watercolor, and of course the view out the window.

Nicole is also a NASA Aquanaut. In preparation for spaceflight, she was a crewmember on an 18-day saturation dive mission at the Aquarius undersea laboratory.

Nicole believes that the international model of peaceful and successful cooperation we have experienced in the extreme environments of space and sea holds the key to the same kind of peaceful and successful cooperation for all of humanity here on Earth.

She is the founder of the Space for Art Foundation — uniting a planetary community of children through the inspiration of space exploration and the healing power of art.

Her first book “Back to Earth” is available now for pre-order here.

(Publisher – Seal Press /Hachette Book Group, release Oct 12, 2021).

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Social media (IG) --

@astro_nicole

@spaceforartfoundation

Websites:

www.nicolestott.com

www.spaceforartfoundation.org

Tim Russ

Los Angeles Astronomical Society

Tim Russ is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and musician. He is best known for his roles as Lieutenant Commander Tuvok on Star Trek: Voyager, Robert Johnson in Crossroads (1986),and East of Hope Street (1998), Frank on Samantha Who?, Principal Franklin, a recurring character on the Nickelodeon live-action teen sitcom iCarly, and D.C. Montana on The Highwaymen (1987-1988).

He is also an amateur astronomer and member of the Los Angeles Astronomical Society.

Russ appeared as Frank, a sarcastic doorman in Christina Applegate's ABC comedy, Samantha Who? from 2007 to 2009, and appeared for seven seasons as Principal Ted Franklin in Nickelodeon's show iCarly. He also portrayed a doctor on an episode of Hannah Montana, "I Am Hannah, Hear Me Croak."

Russ won an Emmy Award in 2014 for public service ads he did for the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office on intellectual property theft and cyber bullying.

He also played Captain Kells in the 2015 Bethesda Game Studios video game Fallout 4.

Mike Simmons

Astronomers without Borders

Mike Simmons has been an amateur astronomer and outreach leader for more than 40 years and loves sharing the sky with others. His outreach activities began in the 1970s with the Los Angeles Astronomical Society and at Griffith Observatory where he operated the Zeiss 12-inch refracting telescope for the public. In the 1980s, Mike founded the Mount Wilson Observatory Association, a support organization dedicated to improving the experience of visitors to the renowned observatory.

Mike's outreach efforts in astronomy went international following a trip to Iran for the solar eclipse of 1999. In one of his return visits, he led a group of Westerners to Iran to observe the rare Transit of Venus alongside hundreds of Iranian amateur astronomers in 2004. In 2006 he traveled to Iraq with observing equipment donated by American astronomers to their enthusiastic but isolated Kurdish counterparts. His online assistance of amateur astronomers and educators around the world also increased as the internet expanded. Seeing astronomy as a universal interest that transcends cultural differences, Mike founded Astronomers Without Borders in 2006 to unite astronomy and space enthusiasts around the world through their common interests. During the UN-declared International Year of Astronomy 2009, Mike led the effort to organize the Cornerstone Project 100 Hours of Astronomy in more than 100 countries, with an estimated one million people looking through outreach telescopes in one night.

Since retiring from Astronomers Without Borders, Mike has co-founded AstroGear Today and OneSky Expeditions, and has other projects in the works. Mike is also a writer and photographer who has contributed to publications including Scientific American, Astronomy and Sky and Telescope where he is a Contributing Editor. He regularly gives presentations, both in the US and abroad, on his experiences and interests, and on his outlook on international relations through astronomy.
Minor Planet Simmons (22294) was named in Mike’s honor in 2003, in part for his "varied outreach activities in astronomy." In 2005 Mike was presented with the Clifford W. Holmes Award, an honor given annually by RTMC for a "Major Contribution to Popularizing Astronomy." In 2009 Mike received the prestigious G. Bruce Blair Award given annually by the Western Amateur Astronomers for "outstanding contributions to amateur astronomy." Mike was also awarded the prestigious 2014 Gabrielle and Camille Flammarion Prize from the Société Astronomique de France (SAF) for “setting a worldwide example that astronomy does transcend political and cultural borders.”

Mike is retired from his 36-year career as a biomedical researcher at the School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Retirement doesn’t suit him, though, and he is as busy as ever, now focusing on astronomy outreach and education with organizations worldwide. He lives with his wife in the Santa Monica Mountains of Southern California and has happily become a doting grandfather.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Mike.Simmons.Astro
Twitter: @Astro_MikeS
Email: mike@mikesimmons.net
AstroGear Today: www.AstroGearToday.com
OneSky Expeditions: www.oneskyexpeditions.com

Stephen Ramsden

Charlie Bates Solar Astronomy Project

Stephen W. Ramsden is the founder and director of the Charlie Bates Solar Astronomy Project and Sunlit Earth. 

The Charlie Bates Solar Astronomy Project was founded in 2008 by Stephen W. Ramsden of Atlanta, GA in memory of friend and fellow air traffic controller / veteran Charlie Bates. It has become the world's highest volume astronomy outreach program — reaching over 250,000 people per year at hundreds of events in 27 countries and counting. Ramsden has a simple mission; use observatory quality narrowband solar telescopes in a professional and safe environment to spark an interest in the sciences among students and the public.

Carolin Liefke

Haus der Astronomie

Dr. Carolin Liefke is Deputy Director of the IAU Office of Astronomy for Education and Researcher at the Hause der Astronomie Center for Astronomy Education and Outreach.

Haus der Astronomie hosts the Office of Astronomy for Education (OAE) of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The International Astronomical Union’s Strategic Plan 2020–2030 provides for the establishment of an Office of Astronomy for Education, which will support the astronomy community and astronomy educators in bringing the fascination of astronomy into schools. Its activities will include establishing a worldwide network of National Astronomy Education Coordinators (NAECs), promoting astronomy in national curricula, supporting teachers with evidence-based education research and helping the community with its professional development. The OAE is also intended to facilitate discussion and knowledge sharing within the community, particularly between astronomy education researchers and astronomy education practitioners.

The selection of HdA to host the OAE was announced on 28 November 2019 by the IAU.

Scott Wayne Roberts

Explore Scientific

Scott Wayne Roberts (born 1959) is the Founder and President of Explore Scientific. He is a designer and marketer of amateur astronomy equipment. Roberts is also a supporter of educational outreach in astronomy and space exploration, and popularizer of amateur astronomy. Since 1980 he has marketed and sold amateur astronomical equipment, as well as produced astronomy-themed events and presentations to a broad audience.

Pedro Russo

University of Leiden

Pedro Russo is a professor of Astronomy and Society at the University of Leiden, Netherlands, where he develops projects in the area of public participation in science and technology. Pedro is vice president of the National Association of Science Communicators. In his career he received several honors such as the Seeds Special Award 2009, Honorable Mention of the National Award of Industrias Creatives in 2019, Scientix Best Educational Resource in 2015 and 2016, one of the 100 most innovative projects in education in 2017 and 2018 by HundrED and the award KJ Cath Prize in 2018 by the University of Leiden. Pedro will discuss current space exploration topics with the participants.

Oscar Matsuura

MAST/MCTI

Dr. Oscar Toshiaki Matsuura obtained a bachelor's degree in philosophy and physics, a master's degree in solar radio astronomy and a doctorate in comet physics. He led the IAG / USP Solar System Astrophysics Group from the beginning until he retired in 1997 as an Associate Professor. Then he was a researcher at MAST in Teaching, Dissemination and History of Astronomy until 2001, Director of Planetariums of São Paulo (2002-2005), Associate Editor of Astronomy Brasil (2006-2007), member of the “Archives” Working Group of the History of Astronomy, from the International Astronomical Union (2006-2012). Since 2010 he is a collaborating researcher at MAST/MCTI.

Sepideh Hooshyar

Astronomer in Iran

Sepideh Hooshyar is an Iranian astronomer, physics expert, and honorary Ambassador of the AstronomyOutreach network.

Sepideh was the subject of an award winning documentary film "Sepideh Reaching for the Stars" that has been screened and broadcast worldwide. The documentary written and directed by Berit Madsen premiered in-competition at the 2013 International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam on November 24, 2013, and in-competition in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at 2014 Sundance Film Festival. The film chronicles the life and challenges of a young Iranian woman who dreams of a future in science, astronomy, and space exploration.

From the age of ten, Sepideh became familiar with astronomy and continued with her studies and observations despite many obstacles that she faced in her community and with her family. Eventually she became the top astronomical observer in Iran, winning the SOFI and Messier Observing competitions.

Now married to Mayor Javad Naseri, and with a child, Sepideh continues to study physics and pursue her passion of studying astronomy with the support of her husband. In addition to her education, she is currently working on supernovae research and building an educational observatory with programs dedicated especially for children.

Sepideh Hooshyar teaches children and adults astronomy and she is very keen to promote astronomy among children in deprived areas. One of the ways she supports her astronomy outreach activities for children is by growing and selling Paulownia trees.

Sepideh was among the invited to the WIRED2016 World Inspirational women Conference.

Source: http://www.astronomyoutreach.net/index.php?title=Sepideh_Hooshyar

Julio Vannini

Amateur Astronomer

Julio Vannini is an Amateur astronomer and science communicator from Nicaragua. Since the year 2005 he has been a public advocate for the inclusion of astronomy and citizen science project in the classroom and for the public in general. He actively participate in online activities and talks. His main interests are solar, lunar and exoplanetary observations.

Oded Ben-Horin

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

Oded Ben-Horin is Head of Department of Arts Education at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. Oded coordinates the Global Science Opera (GSO) and is a co-developer of that concept. He is the main developer of Write a Science Opera (WASO) educational approach to interdisciplinary science/art integration in schools. Oded has led WASO/GSO workshops at the Norwegian Opera (Oslo), the Flemish Opera (Antwerp) and the Louis Cruls Astronomy Club (Campos, Brazil) among others. He has led several European initiatives in the field of creativity in education. Oded is a jazz musician, and an associate professor of music.

Robert Reeves

Lunar Astrophotographer

Robert Reeves has been exploring the Moon since 1958 and took his first lunar photograph in 1959. He began telescopic astronomy with a four-inch Criterion Dynascope, his Christmas present in 1960. In 1975 he acquired a Celestron 8 telescope, which he still uses today. In 1977, Robert acquired a Celestron 8-inch Schmidt camera that he used for a quarter century for deep sky photography. Today, Reeves uses a Celestron 11 Edge HD and a Sky-Watcher 180mm Maksutov for lunar photography from his Perspective Observatory located in central Texas. Robert also uses a Sky-Watcher 20-inch Stargate telescope for visual observing and a Celestron 14 with a HyperStar for deep sky photography.

In 1984 Reeves began publishing articles about astrophotography in Astronomy magazine. Since then Robert has published over 250 magazine articles and 200 newspaper columns about astronomy. His articles have appeared in Sky and Telescope, Astronomy, Deep Sky, Deep Sky Journal, Amateur Astronomy, and The Astrograph. In 1994 Reeves published his first book, The Superpower Space Race, followed by The Conquest of Space, co-authored with Fritz Bronner. In 2000, Robert published Wide-Field Astrophotography, followed by Introduction to Digital Astrophophotography in 2005 and Introduction to Webcam Astrophotography in 2006. All three photography books are still in print from Willmann-Bell and Robert's latest book, about the Moon, is under editorial review.

Although Robert Reeves is an accomplished deep sky astrophotographer, his current passion is re-popularizing the Moon within the amateur astronomy community by explaining the origin of the Moon, the evolution of its face, and introducing its geology to Moon lovers everywhere. Robert has perfected image processing techniques that allow the amateur astronomer, using modest equipment, to exceed the quality of Earth-based professional lunar photographs taken during the Apollo era.

Robert Reeves enjoys speaking to astronomy conventions and spreading his passion for the Moon. Among his many speaking appearances, Reeves has addressed at the Winter Star Party, Apollo Rendezvous, and the Advanced Imaging Conference. He has spoken twice to the Okie-Tex Star Party, and the Southwest Astrophoto seminar. Robert has also spoken three times to and AstroImage and spoken four times to ALCON, NEAF, and NEAIC, in addition to many presentations to the Texas Star Party. Robert has also been the Master of Ceremonies at two ALCONs and three times at the Arizona Science and Astronomy Expo. His recent activities include a five-city speaking tour in China where Reeves was the first westerner to address the Chinese astronomy community about the Moon. Reeves also represents the Celestron telescope company at national astronomical conventions.

Asteroid 26591 Robertreeves is named in his honor and asteroid 26592 Maryrenfro bears his wife's name. Robert and Mary Reeves are the only husband and wife team to have sequentially numbered asteroids.

Andrea Guzmán-Mesa

University of Bern

Andrea Guzmán-Mesa (Colombia) is a PhD student in Astrophysics at the Center for Space and Habitability of the University of Bern, Switzerland working on Exoplanet atmospheres and Interiors.

Marcelo de Oliveira Souza

Louis Cruls Astronomy Club and UENF

As a child, I loved the night sky and would do naked-eye observing whenever I could. However, it was not until I attended college that I actually looked through the eyepiece of a telescope.  After undergraduation I began to make research in the area of cosmology, studying topological defects in the early universe, specifically with cosmic strings. My thesis title is, “Analysis of the gravitational field of infinitely long cosmic strings.”
I was introduced to Astronomers Without Borders in 2008 by Manoj Pai of India, after we had met on the internet. Manoj introduced me to Mike Simmons.
I hosted the first international conference in April of 2008 with a focus on how the international community is conducting activities on space, astronomy and physics. Some of the topics that have been covered are: History of Astronomy and Archaeoastronomy Astronomy Education, Astronomy and Astronautics Popularization, Astrophotography, ATM Astronomy and Cosmology. Since 2008 in our city in Brazil, Campos dos Goytacazes, we also organized 12 International Meetings of Astronomy and Astronautics, special International Events and many other educational and outreach activities.
The International Meeting of Astronomy and Astronautics has grown to where now there are 32 countries that attend and it has had people from every continent.
In March 1998, we started an Astronomy Club section for children called, “Clubinho de Astronomia” and developed projects to teach Astronomy and Astronautics for youngsters as a participant team in the UNAWE program. I am the coordinator for the UNAWE program in Brazil.
From September 2003 to December 2012, I have written and presented a weekly 30-minute television program in Brazil about astronomy and astronautics, called, “Um Passeio pelo céu” (“A Walk through the Sky”). 
I wrote a weekly column on astronomy and astronautics in the regional newspaper, “Diário,” from September of 2005 to December 2015. My first book, Um Passeio pelo Céu, was published in 2007. 
In the last years I and our group developed many inovative educational and outreach projects, with international impact.

Zoe Chee

AWB

Zoe Chee has always looked to the night sky for inspiration and comfort. She has always loved astronomy of all kinds and while my career journey took her on an unexpected path, She has come back to the sky. Science has had a big impact on her life as she studied environmental biology and entomology gaining both a BSc and MSc from McGill University. She found herself in the engineering industry at Siemens Canada where she became a project manager for web development projects that ironically led her to teaching. When she started working at AWB she found a chance to do good and work with  people  around  the  world  through  her  love  of  astronomy!

Andrew Fazekas

AWB

Andrew Fazekas is AWB’s Communications Manager since 2014, with overall responsibility for everything public facing. For over a decade Andrew has also been the astronomy columnist for National Geographic's global online presence and is a syndicated contributor for television and radio known as The Night Sky Guy .  He is also the author of National Geographic Books Star Trek: The Official Guide to our Universe and the best-selling Backyard Guide to the Night Sky.  Over the many years Andrew has also served as editor at the Journal of Science, and correspondent for Popular Science and Astronomy magazines. He has been an active member of the  Royal Astronomical Society of Canada for  35 years.