Dark Sky Week 2024 Talks
Talks will be ticketed on a first come first served basis at the Frank N. Bash Visitors Center. Inquire at the admissions desk. The indoor theater has a capacity of 90 people for each talk.
Tuesday, May 7, 2024 - Ryan Cantrell
How & Why to Preserve Dark Skies
Ryan Cantrell is a Program Facilitator at the Frank N. Bash Visitors Center. He provides guided tours, telescope viewing, and visitor presentations at McDonald Observatory.
Wednesday, May 8, 2024 - Kaylee French
Preserving Dark Skies for Nature
Kaylee French is the West Texas Education and Outreach Coordinator for The Nature Conservancy. She is responsible for creating and implementing all interpretive, educational, and outreach programs for natural resources on TNC’s six West Texas Preserves and assists in the management, maintenance, and conservation of these Preserves by working with visitors, volunteers, staff, and partnering researchers. She is additionally responsible for assisting with the stewarding of TNC’s conservation easements, including annual monitoring of properties. French’s career interest and passion is fostering knowledge, appreciation, respect, and a love for nature for all generations.
Thursday, May 9, 2024 - Ryan Cantrell
How & Why to Preserve Dark Skies
Ryan Cantrell is a Program Facilitator at the Frank N. Bash Visitors Center. He provides guided tours, telescope viewing, and visitor presentations at McDonald Observatory.
Friday, May 10, 2024 – Catherine Manea
Studying Astronomy Under Dark Skies
Catherine Manea is a fifth year astronomy PhD student at the University of Texas at Austin and is advised by Keith Hawkins. Catherine studies the chemical compositions of stars to understand where the elements of the periodic table are created, how stars form, and how our Milky Way came to be. Catherine is an avid user of the Harlan J. Smith 2.7m telescope and has accrued hundreds of hours of observing throughout her time in graduate school. Catherine has trained numerous undergraduate and graduate students to use the 2.7m telescope. Additionally, Catherine is passionate about astronomy outreach and science communication and has served as an author for the astronomy communication website Astrobites.
Friday, May 10, 2024 – Keith Hawkins
Uncovering our Galaxy within Dark Skies
Keith Hawkins is an Associate Professor of Astronomy at the University of Texas at Austin. He is primarily interested in a field called 'Galactic Archaeology' which is aimed at exploring the Milky Way Galaxy’ formation, evolution and structure. Keith uses stellar spectroscopy as his primary astrophysical tool. In addition to research, Keith supervises graduate students and teaches astronomy courses. Outside of teaching, Keith is deeply interested in mentoring students and changing the way that we encourage underrepresented minorities in the STEM fields.
Saturday, May 11, 2024 - Stephen Hummel
Preserving Dark Skies at McDonald Observatory
Stephen Hummel is the Dark Skies Initiative Coordinator at McDonald Observatory and aa member of the Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve coordinating board. His work focuses on measuring and monitoring sky quality over and around the observatory as well as collaborating with local partners in preservation efforts.
Saturday, May 11, 2024 - Amy Jackson
Book reading & The Stars At Night film introduction
Amy is passionate about sharing the night sky with others and preserving it for generations to come. Through founding her business Starry Sky Austin in 2010, Amy has been providing astronomy education and outreach to Austin, TX, the surrounding communities and beyond and contributing to the field of dark sky conservation in Texas. In 2017, Amy became an ambassador for NoirLab’s Astronomy in Chile Educator Ambassador Program and released her first children’s book written to inspire children to learn about the night sky “Cassandra and the Night Sky”. Amy holds a bachelors in physics from the University of Houston, a Master of Science Teaching Earth and Space Science from Rice University and a Master of Science in Geography from Texas State University where she won a Freeman Fellowship for the installation of a permanent Sky Quality Meter at Texas State University's Freeman Center. Her research focuses on light pollution in Texas.
Saturday, May 11, 2024 - Johnathan Jackson
The Stars At Night film introduction
Jonathan is a photographer, cinematographer, broadcast video producer based in Austin, Texas. Jonathan divides his time between being the Creative Content Producer for the Austin City Limits television show and working on a myriad of videography projects. Jonathan is the Director of Photography for The Stars At Night film. He captured many of the Milky Way time-lapses used in the film, interviews, and astronomy scenes.