Chicago
Astronomical
Society
Astronomical
Society
Introduction to the Rubin Observatory and its Mission
rogue planet.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, 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 advises on the building and renovation of science museums around the globe, including the Shanghai Astronomy Museum, 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 Heroand the writer of
SmartStars.blog,helping stargazers appreciate more of what they see through their telescopes. A lover of the dark sky, Jim has recently served on the American Astronomical Society's Committee for the Protection of Astronomy and the Space Environment (COMPASSE), devoted to protecting this vital resource. Throughout his career, Jim Sweitzer has shown that the sky is not the limit of our horizons, but the threshold to an amazing Universe we call home.