AAS Agents Program

About the Agents program

Similar to the precinct-captain model of election campaigns, the AAS Agents program is designed to improve communication between the Society and its members and to enhance the profile of the AAS in the astronomical sciences community by providing a local, familiar point of contact at each home institution.

What is the role of an AAS Agent?

Agents serve as volunteer liaisons between the Society and those it represents, members and non-members alike. They serve several roles:

  • Advocate for Society membership: encouraging astronomers to join the Society
  • Conduit for essential information: passing along particularly important information to their constituents
  • A familiar face: those in our community are more likely to engage the AAS when they have a local Agent who is a known peer
  • A filter of communication: a local Agent knows which information is most relevant for their constituents, and so can tailor and filter communications from the AAS as appropriate for their unit. They can also solicit input from facets of the community not represented by the Strategic Assembly to ensure the AAS is responsive to the needs of everyone in the astronomical sciences
  • A local resource: often, a quick email or conversation is more efficient and useful than a website. Agents serve as a local, known point of contact to answer questions and have conversations about the Society and its services.

Who is my local AAS Agent?

Scroll down for the roster of AAS Agents. If your institution isn't on this list, i.e., doesn't already have an AAS Agent, please consider volunteerting to serve in this important capacity!

OK, how do I sign up?

Please email the membership staff and let them know that you're interested in becoming an AAS Agent at your institution. You may also volunteer to include related or nearby institutions as part of your charge, especially if they might have too few in the astronomy and/or physics department to warrant their own Agent.

Jason Wright (Pennsylvania State University) is the current Lead Agent; the Deputy Lead Agent is Stephen C. Unwin (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory).

INSTITUTION LOCATION AAS AGENT
Alabama in Huntsville, University of Huntsville, AL Jon E. Hakkila
American Museum of Natural History New York, NY Kelle L. Cruz
Angelo State University San Angelo, TX Thomas J. Maccarone
Arizona State University Tempe, AZ Patrick A. Young
Arizona, University of Tucson, AZ Xiaohui Fan
Auburn University Auburn, AL Dennis Bodewits
Baylor University Waco, TX Barbara Castanheira Endl
Boston University Boston, MA Tereasa G. Brainerd
Brigham Young University, Provo Provo, UT Eric G. Hintz
Calgary, University of Calgary, AB Denis A. Leahy
California at Irvine, University of Irvine, CA Vivian U
California at San Diego, University of La Jolla, CA Adam J. Burgasser
Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Kamuela, HI Heather Flewelling
Carnegie Institution for Science, EPL Washington, DC Alycia J. Weinberger
Ctr for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian Cambridge, MA Rodolfo Montez, Jr.
CHARA Array, The Los Angeles, CA Nicholas J. Scott
Colorado at Boulder, University of Boulder, CO Zachory K. Berta-Thompson
Columbia University New York, NY David J. Helfand
Denver, University of Denver, CO Jennifer L. Hoffman
Drexel University Philadelphia, PA Gordon T. Richards
Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers, FL Derek L. Buzasi
Georgia State University Atlanta, GA Todd J. Henry
Green Bank Observatory Green Bank, WV Karen L. O'Neil
Haverford College Haverford, PA Karen L. Masters
Hunter College New York, NY Kelle L. Cruz
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Urbana, IL Tony H. Wong
Indiana University Bloomington, IN Catherine A. Pilachowski
Iowa, University of Iowa City, IA Casey DeRoo
IPAC / NExScI Pasadena, CA Dawn M. Gelino
Kentucky, University of Lexington, KY Ronald J. Wilhelm
Kutztown University/PA State System of Higher Ed Kutztown, PA Phillip A. Reed
Louisville, University of Louisville, KY Gerard M. Williger
Manchester, University of Manchester, UK Christopher Conselice
Maryland at College Park, University of College Park, MD Stuart N. Vogel
Maryland, Baltimore County, University of Baltimore, MD Eileen T. Meyer
Michigan, University of Ann Arbor, MI Christopher J. Miller
Minnesota, Twin Cities, University of Minneapolis, MN Claudia Scarlata
MiraCosta College/Ctr for Astronomy Ed Oceanside, CA Rica Sirbaugh French
Missouri State University Springfield, MO Sarah J. Morrison
NASA HQ Washington, DC Joshua Pepper
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Pasadena, CA Stephen C. Unwin
New Mexico State University Las Cruces, NM Wladimir Lyra
New Mexico Tech Socorro, NM Ryan P. Norris
North Carolina, Chapel Hill, University of Chapel Hill, NC Fabian Heitsch
Northwestern University Evanston, IL Frederic A. Rasio
NSF's NOIRLab La Serena, CHILE Nicole S. Van Der Bliek
Penn State University Park, PA Jason Thomas Wright
Princeton University Princeton, NJ Michael A. Strauss
Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY Joel H. Kastner
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Piscataway, NJ Alyson Brooks
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Cambridge, MA Scott J. Wolk
Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) Baltimore, MD Nimish Hathi
St. Mary's University, forthcoming TDB Leslie John Sage
Tennessee, Knoxville, University of Knoxville, TN Zoha Laraib
Texas at El Paso, University of El Paso, TX Thomas J. Maccarone
Texas at San Antonio, University of San Antonio, TX Lisa Shepard
Texas Christian University (TCU) Fort Worth, TX Peter M. Frinchaboy
Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX Thomas J. Maccarone
Toledo, University of Toledo, OH Karen S. Bjorkman
USNO Columbia, MD Sethanne Howard
Valparaiso University Eagle, WI Lane Scheel
Villanova University Villanova, PA Kelly Hambleton
W. M. Keck Observatory Kamuela, HI John O'Meara
Washington at Seattle, University of Seattle, WA Bruce Balick
Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, MO Tansu Daylan
West Virginia University Morgantown, WV Karen L. O'Neil
Wisconsin at Whitewater, University of Whitewater, WI Robert A. Benjamin
Wyoming, University of Laramie, WY Adam D. Myers
Yale University New Haven, CT C. Megan Urry
Youngstown State University Youngstown, OH John J. Feldmeier