Ancient Skies, Modern Tools Workshop 1: Introduction and Basics

Shanil Virani is a professional astronomer and passionate science educator with more than 30 years of classroom teaching experience. He has taught astronomy at both the high school and university levels to majors and non-majors, and in 2017 was nominated by his students for James Madison University’s General Education Distinguished Teaching Award. Shanil has extensive experience in observational astronomy and data-driven research, including working at the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics as a member of the Science Operations team for NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory for more than five years. As a planetarium director and faculty member at two large state universities, he has guided learners through the scientific analysis of real astronomical data. In addition to his role at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, he is an Adjunct Professor in the University Honors College at The George Washington University, where he teaches a course on archaeo-astronomy and the cultural history of the sky.

Tony Smith is the Online Learning Program Manager at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. Tony has worked in informal science education since 2011 at various Pacific Northwest science centers and prior to joining the ASP managed the J. Watumull Planetarium at Bishop Museum in Honolulu, HI. In addition to the ASP, Tony also works part time at the Washington State University Planetarium and volunteers at the Palouse Discovery Science Center in Pullman, WA where he lives. Tony is passionate about science education and uses an interactive presentation style, asking for observations and input from the audience throughout his presentations.