Principal
Science Communications Consultants, LLC
Oak Park, Illinois, United States
If Jim Sweitzer were an astronomical body, he might be called a “rogue star.” Unlike most folks who graduate from the University of Chicago with a PhD in Astrophysics, Jim chose to turn his expertise to public science education. His first job was with the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, where he eventually became Assistant Director. U of C, however, eventually lured him back to help manage the creation of their Center for Astrophysical Research in Antarctica, which found him twice at the South Pole. Jim’s next adventure was warmer but equally challenging, directing the creation of the Rose Center for Earth and Space at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. After its Millennial debut, Jim returned to Chicago to work for DePaul University’s Space Science Center, acting as liaison for NASA’s Space Science educational mission in a seven-state midwestern region. In 2004, Jim launched SCC, Science Communications Consultants, a firm that consults on the building and renovation of science museums around the globe, including the Shanghai Planetarium, the largest in the world. Jim is also an avid stargazer delighting in his array of “smart telescopes.” He is the author of a book entitled "Dear Galileo, Letters from a Contemporary Astronomer to his Hero" and the writer of a blog, “Smart Stars,” that gives stargazers a sense of the “big picture” they are seeing when they observe. A lover of the dark sky, Jim has recently served on an American Astronomical Society committee devoted to protecting this vital resource.
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8D-2 - Smart Scopes: Revolutionary New Tools for Public Observing and Astronomy Courses
Friday, August 23, 2024
1:55 PM – 2:45 PM US PDT
