Library Month: The Astronomers’ Workshop

Can people hear celestial dust? Touch a galaxy? Feel the sweep of the night sky, the “stars that smolder well into daylight?” Come find out! Join our astronomer guests in a simultaneous in-person/online presentation. Learn why new technologies like 3D printing and data sonification make astronomy more accessible for the blind while exploring tactile models and engaging in lively conversation with actual astronomers, blind and sighted both. With Dr. Nic Bonne, Dr. Carol Christian, Dr. Thomas Madura, and Ken Silberman, Esq.

Dr. Nic Bonne [he/him]
Public Engagement and Outreach Fellow/Tactile Universe Project Lead
Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation
University of Portsmouth

Originally from Australia, Dr. Nic Bonne is a vision impaired astronomer with a background in galaxy research. He currently works in the UK as a Public Engagement and Outreach Fellow at the University of Portsmouth’s Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation.

Dr. Carol Christian
Hubble Space Telescope Outreach Project Scientist
Space Telescope Science Institute

Dr. Carol Christian is the Hubble Space Telescope Outreach Project Scientist at Space Telescope Science Institute. She is responsible for the scientific accuracy of HST information produced for students, educators, the media and the general public. She is co-founder of the HST 3D Astronomy program creating tactile resources for visually impaired individuals.

Dr. Thomas Madura
Associate Professor in Astronomy at California State University, San Jose

Dr Thomas Madura specializes in astrophysics and astronomy education for blind and visually impaired persons. Dr. Madura was one of the researchers awarded a $1.5 million dollar Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curricula for students with blindness and visual impairments (VI).

Ken Silberman, Esq.

Blind since birth, Ken Silberman holds a masters degree in aerospace engineering, a bachelor’s in astronomy and is a patent lawyer. Ken has worked for the National Space Science Data Center which archives and disseminate publicly all data obtained from NASA space flights, other spacecraft, and to develop computer systems facilitating this work.

If you have any questions, please call Library Services at 1-800-808-2555.