The Harlow Shapley Visiting Lectureships in Astronomy

The Harlow Shapley Visiting Lectureship Program of the American Astronomical Society is a program of two day visits by professional astronomers who bring the excitement of modern astronomy and astrophysics to colleges of all types. Participation is open to two-year colleges and four-year undergraduate institutions throughout North America including Canada and Mexico, and, especially institutions that do not offer an astronomical degree.

Shapley Lecturers contribute to the host institution's academic program and intellectual environment in many different ways. They must give at least one presentation that is free and open to the general public, the Harlow Shapley Lecture. But they may also engage in a variety of other activities, including but not limited to: guest teaching a class in physical, mathematical and general science, as well as astronomy; giving a research colloquium or seminar presentation; interacting with students informally regarding graduate school and careers; discussing teaching and curriculum with faculty, deans and administrators; visiting local primary and secondary schools (which is encouraged). Presentations range from non-mathematical to advanced and technical, depending on the audience.

Program Costs

Host institutions are asked to contribute $250 in support of the program The AAS will cover the Lecturer's travel expenses. An institution may choose to pay travel costs for a visitor in lieu of the contribution; please arrange with the Shapley Program prior to the visit. The institution is not expected to provide an honorarium for the speaker.

Where the $250 contribution would involve serious hardship or limit the opportunity of an institution to participate, the Society will consider waiving a portion of the institutional fee.

Application

To apply for a Shapley Lectureship Visit please fill out the Visit Request Form, and be sure to note your preferred dates. If you have a preference for a topic or Lecturer please let us know that as well. You will be notified once the application is received and processed. The Shapley Lecture program is limited to one visit per academic year. The schedule of activities, which includes the Harlow Shapley Lecture itself, is arranged by the host institution directly with the visiting lecturer. Contact information for the Shapley Program is given below.

Shapley Lecture Programs Locations and Dates

InstitutationDateSpeakerLink
CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIV3/19/2008Dana Backmanhttp://www.phy.cmich.edu/seminars/index.htm
CITRUS COLLEGE3/19/2008Rosaly Lopez
WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIV3/24-25/2008Christine Joneshttp://tesla.physics.wmich.edu
ALLEGHENY COLLEGE4/2/2008Virginia TrimbleDistinguished Astrophysicist to Explore History of the Universe in Talk at Allegheny College
SOUTH PLAINS COLLEGE4/3-4/2008Rebecca KoopmanSPC - Hosts Astronomy Speaker April 4th, 2008 PDF
WESTFIELD STATE COLLEGE4/7/2008Robert T. Pappalardo
CARROLL COLLEGE4/14/2008Ray Jayawardhanahttps://www.carroll.edu/about/pressreleases.php?id=9301
LAWRENCE COLLEGE4/14/2008Nick SchneiderEmail link for more information
KEYSTONE COLLEGE4/21-22/2008Terry OswaltKeystone College Shapley Lectureship Program
MINNESOTA STATE UNIV-MOOREHEAD4/24/2008Jonathan P. Gardner http://physics.mnstate.edu
JOLIET JUNIOR COLLEGE4/28/2008Matt Bobrowsky http://www.jjc.edu/events/EventInView.asp?ID=821
BLOOMSBURG UNIV10/16/2008Jay Pasachoffhttp://orgs.bloomu.edu/msc/index.htm
MINNESOTA STATE UNIV-MOOREHEAD10/?/2008Virgina Trimble http://physics.mnstate.edu

Sponsored by the American Astronomical Society and the Harlow Shapley Visiting Lectureship Endowment Fund

Contact Us

Dr. Jennifer Grier
Shapley Program Administrator
American Astronomical Society
Telephone: 202-328-2010, ext. 106
FAX: 202-234-2560
email: shapley@aas.org