David A. Aguilar

director, Center for Astrophysics

A naturalist, astronomer, author, and artist, David's expertise is in communicating the wonderment of science. He is the past Director of the Fiske Planetarium & Science Center and the originator of the Science Discovery Program at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Marketing Communications Director at Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation, and Marketing Director for PBS's Emmy-winning NOVA series, *Evolution*. He is also a recognized writer and space artist with work appearing in the new 2008 BBC television series *UNIVERSE*, *Time magazine*, *US News & World Report*, *ABC Nightly News*, CNN, *NY Times*, *USA Today*, *National Geographic*, *Sky & Telescope, Astronomy, and Scientific American*. He is the author and illustrator of *Planets, Stars & Galaxies and The New Solar System*, published by *National Geographic*, as well as a scholar lecturer on Smithsonian World Tours and Smithsonian Journeys, and popular host of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics programs *Observatory Nights* and the Harvard Lecture Series, *Everything I Learned About Science I Learned At The Movies*. He is also an avid telescope maker and an astronomical and underwater photographer.