Eleen Hammer

Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany

Eleen Hammer is a secondary school teacher for mathematics and physical education in Germany. She studied astronomy as her third subject and graduated with honors. After that she received the Thuringian Graduate Scholarship for her doctoral thesis project on which she currently works at the Research Group Teaching Methodology in Physics and Astronomy at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany. In addition, she works as an astronomy teacher at a public secondary school. Her research focuses on teaching astronomy through mathematics problems.

Hossein Khezri

Associate of Commission C1 WG Astronomy Education Research & Methods, Iran

I am Hossein Khezri, the director of Astronomical Society in Bushehr, Iran. I have a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and I am very interested in the method of combining different sciences for a better understanding of astronomy.

Emmanuel Rollinde

OAENF-CY / LDAR-CYU, France

Emmanuel Rollinde is a professor of astronomy education research at the laboratory LDAR/CY Cergy Paris University in France. He was previously a researcher in astronomy and cosmology at the Institute of Astrophysics at Paris (IAP). His research interest include embodied astronomy education from primary to high school, modelisation practices. His projects are mostly led in the context of Design-Based Researches. He is the director of the Francophone Node of the OAE (OAENF-CY)

Elizandra Daneize Santos

São Paulo State University (UNESP), Brazil

Elizandra Daneize dos Santos is a PhD student in the Graduate Program in Science Education at the São Paulo State University (UNESP). Graduated in Pedagogy (2013) and Master in Education (2022) from the Graduate Program in Education, with emphasis on the line of Teacher Training and Teaching and Learning Processes, from the State University of Western Paraná (UNIOESTE). She is a teacher in the municipal public school system with the Initial Years of Elementary School, and conducts research in the area of Education, Teacher Training, Teaching and Learning Processes, Science Teaching and Astronomy Teaching.

Maria Luísa Almeida

Núcleo Interativo de Astronomia e Inovação em Educação (NUVLIO)< Portugal

Maria Luísa Almeida is the Director of the Teacher Training Center at NUCLIO and a project manager at the same institution. She holds an MSc in Nuclear Physics/Astrophysics from the University of Lisbon and has taught Mathematics and Physics at the Instituto Superior de Educação e Ciências. Maria Luísa has extensive experience in teacher training and has collaborated closely with high and elementary schools to implement innovative science teaching methods, particularly through hands-on activities using new technologies.

William Brandt

Penn State University, USA

W. Niel Brandt has been at Penn State since 1997 and is a professor in the Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics. Brandt uses a wide variety of astronomical facilities, often operating in the high-energy band, to study the physics, evolution, and ecology of active galaxies and other cosmic X-ray sources. He is an author of more than 650 research papers and leads a small research group including postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and undergraduate students. He also regularly teaches courses on high-energy astrophysics, black holes, and active galaxies, and he runs summer workshops for Pennsylvania teachers.

Jackie Bondell

University of Melbourne, Australia

Jackie Bondell is the Senior Education and Outreach Manager for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics and the Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery. She focuses on connecting teachers, students, and researchers, playing a pivotal role in crafting educational content for outreach programs and tailoring curricula for enhanced school engagement. At the core of Jackie's strategy is the seamless integration of innovative technology and cutting-edge scientific content into curriculum-aligned education opportunities for students and teachers.

Melissa Solares

NAEC Guatemala, American School of Guatemala

Melissa Solares received her bachelor's degree in Teaching Mathematics and Physics from Universidad del Valle de Guatemala in 2020, a Diploma in Basic Astronomy and Astrophysics from Universidad Galileo in 2017, and is completing her M.Ed. with a concentration in International Teaching from Framingham State University in the year 2024. She has been an educator in secondary school since 2016, specializing in Physics and Astronomy. Since 2021, she is currently the National Astronomy Education Coordinator (NAEC) in Guatemala appointed by the OAE. Her interests include science education and outreach, specifically through conferences, public talks, teacher professional development sessions, student workshops, and developing curriculum.

Heidi Schran

Talawanda High School, Oxford, Ohio, USA

Heidi Schran is a science teacher at Talawanda High School in Oxford, Ohio, USA. She has completed her Bachelors and Master’s work in Microbiology and has a Masters of Arts in Teaching. She currently teaches Astronomy, Physics and Biology at Talawanda High School and is the faculty advisor for their First Tech Robotics League team. She has a passion for anything she can’t see with the unaided eye, and actively pursues research projects for her students to conduct as part of their high school experience.

Aishwarya Girdhar

LMU - Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany

"Aish Girdhar is a Physics Education researcher at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) in Germany. She was recently awarded her PhD from LMU on study of blackholes and host galaxy coevolution; which she pursued at the European Southern Observatory, Germany and Newcastle University, UK. She has previously pursued her Masters in Astrophysics as a full-scholarship student of the Astromundus joint-masters degree. Her research interests in astronomy education research are evaluation methods, use of modern technologies for teaching, and the development of accessible educational materials."

Federico Di Giacomo

Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), Italy

Federico Di Giacomo, graduated in cosmology and astrophysics at the University of Bologna in 2013. He has been working at INAF since 2015. He is involved in numerous projects of public engagement and scientific heritage projects. He curated the virtual exhibition "Look up!" and created educational workshops with Save the Children carried out in highly marginalized contexts. He also deals with multisensory content for inclusive astronomy and coordinates outreach activities for the ESA Gaia mission. He is currently involved in the use of emerging technologies to promote the CTAO, the largest ground-based gamma-ray observatory.

Danijela Takac

Astronomy and physics teacher, Croatia

"Ana Marija Zazinovic is a astronomy and physics teacher in one of the highest rated high school in Zagreb. She is a teacher trainer, NAEC member and a big astronomy enthusiast. Danijela Takač, physics and astronomy teacher in a primary school in Zagreb, NAEC member, leader of the educational section of Croatian astronomical society and Croatian physics society."

Irma Fuentes-Morales

Universidad de Santiago de Chile

Irma Fuentes is a Dr in Astrophysics and is currently a postdoctoral researcher in astronomy education at the Millennium Nucleus on Young Exoplanets and their Moons (YEMS) at the University of Santiago of Chile (USACH). Her research areas include nova explosions in cataclysmic variable stars and astronomical education research, with a focus on developing classroom activities that utilize astronomy to teach scientific subjects, primarily aligned with the Chilean educational reality.

Ilham Bouisaghouane

Leiden University and Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands

Ilham holds a master degree in Theoretical Physics and a master degree in Education. She is doing her PhD in Astronomy education at the University of Leiden in collaboration with the Amsterdam University of Applied Science (AUAS) and the DBHC.

Sanlyn Buxner

Planetary Science Institute, USA

Sanlyn Buxner is a senior research scientist and education and communication specialist at the Planetary Science Institute and a research professor at the University of Arizona. She is an active astronomy education researcher and program evaluator. Her research interests include ways to support community science, studying the impact of research experiences for students and teachers, and supporting youth in out-of-school time to engage in meaningful STEM practices.

Fernando Ariel Karaseur

Professor of Secondary and Higher Education in Physics (University of Buenos Aires), Argentina

Fernando Ariel Karaseur is a Professor of Secondary and Higher Education in Physics (School of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Buenos Aires) and is currently pursuing a PhD in Science Teaching (Universidad del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires) supervised by Dr. Gangui, head of the Didactics of Astronomy group to which he belongs since 2011. He has been working in primary schools for ten years and in teacher training for three years.

Stefania Varano

Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), Italy

"Stefania Varano is First Technologist of the Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), Italy. She completed a MA in Astronomy, a PhD in Science, Cognition and Technology, a Certificate for high school education, and a Master's degree in Science Communication. She is PI of the INAF working group UNIVERS@LL for equity in astronomy outreach and education, curator of the Visitor Center of the INAF-Institute of Radio Astronomy, member of the Italian Center of the Office of Astronomy for Education, member of the Management Committee of the Game Science Research Center, journalist. She studies, designs, and experiments with formal, informal, non-formal, playful, and equal education activities using astronomy."

José Antonio D'Santiago García

Universidad Nacional Experimental Rafael María Baralt, Venezuela

I am a university professor specializing in biology, chemistry, education, and technology. In addition to my teaching duties, I lead an astronomy club in our city, where we implement innovative methods such as Astronomical Peripateticism and the Flipped Classroom to teach astronomy. I am enrolled in a research line focused on astronomical education, developing projects that aim to make astronomy accessible and meaningful for everyone. My passion for teaching and astronomy drives me to explore new ways to inspire my students and foster their curiosity about the universe.

Oriel Marshall

Universities of Copenhagen and Antwerp, Denmark

Oriel Marshall is a third year joint PhD student at the universities of Copenhagen and Antwerpen. She is part of the CHAMELEON innovative training network which focuses on modeling exoplanets and protoplanetary disks. Her role within this network is creating and assessing teaching materials based on the topics within the network. Oriel has worked with and developed hands-on astrophysics learning materials in many capacities prior to her current PhD project. These include the thesis project of her astrophysics masters project at the University of St Andrews, and during her time working with Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and subsequently for the ESA CHEOPs mission.

Cuauhtemoc Mendez

Tec de Monterrey / TRIBU cultura astronómica, Mexico

Cuauhtemoc Mendez teaches sciences at Tec de Monterrey campus Guadalajara. He runs the NGO TRIBU cultura astronómica in charge of an Astronomy outreach program. The three columns of this NGO are: Public Contents, Education, and Astrotourism.

Eric Koch

Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, USA

Eric Koch is a postdoctoral researcher and Director of Seamless Astronomy at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. His research links the interstellar medium and star formation from the scales where individual stars form to whole galaxies. To do this, his work combines novel analysis techniques with radio, sub-millimeter, and infrared telescopes to trace the atomic and molecular gas in nearby galaxies. He also develops and maintains open-source software tools for the radio astronomy community.

Ewine van Dishoeck

Leiden University, The Netherlands

Ewine van Dishoeck is Professor of Molecular Astrophysics at Leiden University (The Netherlands). The research of her group innovatively unites the world of chemistry with that of physics and astronomy. She helped develop the most powerful telescopes in the world, including the James Webb Space Telescope. She was awarded the 2018 Kavli Prize for Astrophysics. From 2018-2021, Ewine served as the President of the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Giulia Perotti

Max-Planck Institute for Astronomy, Germany

"Giulia Perotti is a molecular astrophysicist. She is a Minerva Junior Group Leader in the Planet and Star Formation department of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy. She is an expert on the astrochemistry of young stars and their planet-forming disks. "

Néstor Espinoza

Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), USA

Dr. Espinoza is an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) --- the science and operations center for the Hubble (HST) and James Webb (JWST) Space Telescopes --- where he acts as the Mission Scientist for Exoplanet Science. He works both on the detection of new exoplanets --- planets outside our Solar System --- as well as on the characterization of their atmospheres and interiors.

Milena Ratajczak

University of Warsaw Astronomical Observatory & Science Now Studio, Poland

Milena Ratajczak is an astronomer, deputy director of the Astronomical Observatory of the University of Warsaw, and a partner at Science Now creative studio. She popularizes science as a coordinator of the educational programme in Poland and a board member of the New Space Foundation, MultiSwiat Foundation, and the Polish Astronomical Society.

Priya Hasan

Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad, India

Priya did her Integrated Masters in Physics at the Moscow State University, Russia. She did her PhD in Astronomy in Osmania University, Hyderabad. She did an Indo-French post-doctoral research project at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune, India and worked as DST-Women Scientist in Osmania University. She works at the Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad in 2015.She is the co-Chair of the Women in Astronomy Working Group of the IAU. She is a Regional Astronomy Education Coordinator of the IAU Office of Astronomy for Education. She is actively involved in olympiads and public outreach for children and adults and has worked on various projects with the IAU-OAD, US Consulate, etc

Joanna Holt

Netherlands Research School for Astronomy & Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands

Joanna Holt is the Education Manager at the Netherlands Research School for Astronomy (NOVA) and an Associate Professor in the Science Education Group at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS). She completed her PhD in astrophysics in 2005 at the University of Sheffield, UK. After more than a decade in astrophysics research, she specialised in astronomy and science education including positions at ESA and at the primary teacher training institute at the AUAS. Joanna is responsible for the NOVA Mobile Planetarium. Her current research interests include astronomy education, smart education and how to support the teaching of scientific thinking skills. Joanna is the chair of the Dutch NAEC team.

Saeed Jafari

University of Kurdistan, Department of Linguistics / UNESCO's IDIL2022-2032, Iran

"Saeed Jafari is a science communicator and a science journalist. He has completed his studies in linguistics at the University of Kurdistan. He has been working as External Relations Manager at the World Space Week Association and Co-chair of International Decade of Indigenous Languages co-led by UNESCO. For more than ten years, Saeed has led astronomy communication, outreach and education for many organisations and institutions, and currently researches public understanding of science in media, technology and society. He co-founded Under Iran Sky programme, an open online astronomy education platform in Iran, and also is the developer of several innovative projects that aim to involve the general public in active astronomy communication."

Wilem Keppens

KU Leuven, Belgium

Willem Keppens is a PhD researcher in astronomy education at KU Leuven. He previously finished his masters in Astronomy & Astrophysics at KU Leuven. His research investigates how secondary school students view the universe, and how this view is influenced by their perceptions of astronomical scales.

Judith Vandewiere

KU Leuven, Belgium

"Judith Vandewiere is a PhD researcher at the Physics and Astronomy department of KU Leuven, where she also completed her Master's degree. Her research interest includes student's understanding of the celestial sphere. Besides doing research she works as a science educator at the Brussels' Planetarium."

Melanie King

Canterbury Christ Church University / Royal College of Art, United Kingdom

Dr Melanie King is a working class artist and curator, originally from Manchester, UK. Melanie is now based in Kent, UK. She is co-Director of super/collider, Lumen Studios and founder of the London Alternative Photography Collective. Melanie is Lecturer In Photography at Canterbury Christ Church University. She has recently completed her PhD at the Royal College of Art. Melanie is interested in the relationship between the environment, photography and materiality. Melanie intends to highlight the intimate connection between photographic materials and the natural world.

Dunja Fabjan

University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

Dunja Fabjan is an astrophysicist working at University of Ljubljana in Slovenia. She is part of the NAEC Slovenia team. She was involved in the STEAM Med project and is now collaborating in the SABIR project, both led by OAE center Italy. She actively promotes astronomy in schools and collaborates in different science outreach initiatives.

Arwen Hubbard

Space science educator, ecologist, curriculum designer, and author, USA

Arwen Hubbard is a passionate space science educator, ecologist, curriculum designer, and author. She holds degrees in Resource Management and Agricultural Ecology, along with a Master of Science in Space Studies, specializing in Planetary Science. Currently pursuing a doctorate in STEM education, Arwen's mission is to ignite curiosity about the Universe. She teaches space science online to learners of all ages, serves as a NASA Solar System Ambassador, writes educational content, and hosts a podcast that makes complex astronomical topics accessible to all.

Paul Sirstins

Clark Planetarium, USA

Paul Sirstins is a retired teacher of 35 years, currently engaged as an Education Presenter at Clark Planetarium. His responsibilities include presenting a variety of programs on the Science on a Sphere and in the Planetarium dome to preK through 12th grade students, as well as creating lessons and programs. During his teaching career, he mentored 18 student teachers from 7 universities and was BTSA coordinator for 21 teachers in San Diego. Paul has an education background, degrees and credentials from the University of Utah, UCLA, UC Riverside and UC San Diego. This also includes related work experience as a Disney Imagineer. The most notable achievement is the success of the kids he has worked with.

Chris Impey

University of Arizona, USA

Chris Impey is a University Distinguished Professor of Astronomy at the University of Arizona. He has 450 publications on education, observational cosmology, and quasars, and his research has been supported by $20 million in NASA and NSF grants. He has won eleven teaching awards and has taught four online classes with 420,000 enrolled and 8 million minutes of video lectures watched. Chris Impey is a past Vice President of the American Astronomical Society and he has won its Education Prize. He’s also been NSF Distinguished Teaching Scholar, Carnegie Council’s Arizona Professor of the Year, and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor. He has written 120 popular articles on cosmology and astrobiology and 11 popular science books.

Shahrzad Mirsoltani

Astronomy Educator and Director of Kargahe Setare Project, Iran

I'm Shahrzad Mirsoltani, an expert in astronomy education and outreach based in Iran. I am the founder and lead of the Kargahe Setare Project, dedicated to promoting astronomy and space sciences globally for Iranian young generations. My passion lies in inspiring curiosity and understanding about our cosmos, aiming to create a better future for humanity and the next generations through the power of education and exploration. I firmly believe in the guiding principle: "Don't teach astronomy, teach humanity through astronomy." Her involvement with the Iranian Astronomical Society deepened her passion for astronomy education, recognizing the need for specialized programs for children. She is committed to promoting astronomy among young Iranians, aiming to inspire a generation that values knowledge and curiosity through the principle: ""Don't teach astronomy, teach humanity through astronomy."""

Ana Cecilia Soja

Fluminense Federal Institute, Brazil

Ana Cecilia Soja is a professor at the Instituto Federal Fluminense. For the past eight years, she has coordinated knowledge Olympiads for high school students: the Brazilian Astronomy Olympiad (OBA), the Brazilian Amateur Rocket Show (MobFog) and the International Astronomy and Astrophysics Competition (IAAC). Her research interests include the protection of dark and quiet skies and women in science.

Ola Birke

Science Now Studio

Ola Birke is a designer, researcher, and creative producer at Science Now Studio. She collaborates with the New Space Foundation as interdisciplinary residency facilitator. She specializes in formats dedicated to science communication and alternative forms of education.

Janelle Bailey

Temple University, USA

Professor of Science Education Program Coordinator, Past AAPT President

Juan Ángel Vaquerizo

Centro de Astrobiología (CAB, CSIC-INTA)

After 15 years as science teacher, I joined the National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA) in 2007 as educational manager of the PARTNeR project (partner.cab.inta-csic.es). In 2009 I joined the Education & Public Outreach Department (Unidad de Cultura Científica, UCC) of the Centro de Astrobiología (CAB, CSIC-INTA) as head of educational projects. Since 2016, I am working as UCC Officer. The main goal of the UCC is to disseminate the scientific advances in the field of astrobiology. I also worked as scientific and content curator in exhibitions on space exploration: “Mars, the Conquest of a Dream” (2017) and “After the Moon. Exploring the Limits of Space” (2019). Finally, I am member of the Spanish Royal Physics Society (Teaching of Physics Group) and member of the Spanish Society of Astronomy (Astronomy Teaching and Dissemination Group). I am currently working as researcher in Science Education, focused on the Teaching and Learning of Astronomy and Astrobiology. I have recently published my first outreach book “Mars and the enigma of life” (in Spanish).

Miguel Gomes

Centro de Ciência de Luanda, Angola

Miguel Gomes é um Comunicador de Ciência com mais de dez anos de actuação em museus e centros de ciência. Trabalhou nos serviços educativos do Museu de História Natural e da Ciência da Universidade do Porto, e do Museu da Ciência da Universidade de Coimbra. Em ambos, desenvolveu e implementou programas educativos, conduziu visitas guiadas e organizou eventos científicos. Formado em Bioquímica pela Universidade do Porto, possui também um Mestrado em Comunicação de Ciência pela University of the West of England. Actualmente, é Director do Departamento de Educação e Exposições do Centro de Ciência de Luanda.

Ivanilda Cabral

Universidade de Cabo Verde

Ivanilda Cabral é doutora em Estatística e Gestão do Risco, mestre e licenciada em Matemática. É Professora na Universidade de Cabo Verde desde outubro de 2008. É membro do Conselho Nacional de Estatística. Coordena a rede PLOAD (Portuguese Language Office of Astronomy for Development) em Cabo Verde. Coordenou os cursos de “Matemática” e “Estatística e Gestão de Informação” da Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade de Cabo Verde durante seis anos. É autora de várias publicações internacionais. Atualmente, desenvolve trabalhos ligados à Estatística de Extremos.

Yara Simango

Associação Moçambicana de Astronomia

"Licenciada em Meteorologia pela Universidade Eduardo Mondlane em Moçambique (2013 - 2018), Mestrada em Astrofísica pela Universidade de Leeds no Reino Unido ( 2021 - 2023), actualmente cursando Doutoramento num problema combinado entre a Universidade de Bristol no Reino Unido e a Universidade de Cape Town na África do Sul. Tema de pesquisa: “Mass modelling of galaxies over a billion years of cosmic time"" Presidente e membro fundadora da Associação Moçambicana de Astronomia (AMAS). Trabalho maioritariamente na concepção e criação propostas de projectos (de educação, divulgação e treinamentos) e coordenação das actividades desenvolvidas pela AMAS."

Larissa Okiyama

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Larissa Okiyama is an undergraduate student in astronomy, specializing in extragalactic astronomy at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. She is also deeply involved in cultural astronomy, working with Indigenous peoples and individuals in challenging situations. Her research focuses on using galaxy morphology to gather information about the formation and evolution of galaxies.