Andrew Fraknoi
Encyclopedia
Andrew Fraknoi, M.A.
, is an astronomy
professor
at Foothill College
and the 2007 California Professor of the Year awarded by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education
. Fraknoi also won the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
's 2007 Richard H. Emmons award, the American Institute of Physics's 2007 Andrew Gemant Award
(given for a lifetime of contributions to the intersection of physics and culture), and the American Astronomical Society
's 1994 Annenberg Foundation Award (for a lifetime of contributions to astronomy education.)
Fraknoi served as the Executive Director of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
from 1978 to 1992, edited its popular-level magazine, Mercury, and founded its newsletter for teachers, called The Universe in the Classroom. He was the founder and director of a program called "Project ASTRO," which sets up partnerships between volunteer astronomers and 4th - 9th grade teachers; each astronomer "adopts" one classroom for a year, visiting at least four times and working with the teacher to do hands-on activities in astronomy. The program is still operating in 12 sites around the country. Later he founded and directed "Family ASTRO" -- a project to design activities, kits and games to help families share the excitement of astronomical discovery. Fraknoi now works at the Society as Senior Educator, and edits an on-line column for its members, called "Astronomy Beat". Every three years, he organizes a national symposium for the Society called "Cosmos in the Classroom," which brings together 150 to 200 instructors of introductory college astronomy courses to learn and talk about how such courses can be made even more effective.
Fraknoi is the lead author of "Voyages through the Universe", an introductory college astronomy textbook, now in its third edition, published by Brooks-Cole. In 2007, his first children's book, entitled Wonderful World of Space, was published by Disney. In the 1980s he co-edited with Bryon Preiss two collections of science articles and science fiction stories, published by Bantam Books, called "The Universe" and "The Planets." With Sidney Wolff, Fraknoi founded and is co-editor of the first on-line journal devoted to astronomy education, "Astronomy Education Review" (found at: http://aer.aas.org).
In addition to astronomy, Fraknoi also teaches courses in the area of "physics for poets." His interdisciplinary course on Einstein's life and work, Physics 12, won the 2005 “Innovation of the Year” award from the League for Innovation. In the course, students learn about some of the areas on modern physics that Einstein had a role in creating or changing, and then read novels, stories, and poems, and hear music influenced by Einstein's work and ideas. Fraknoi frequently writes articles on interdisciplinary topics, such as using music, poetry, or science fiction to teach science. His list of science fiction
stories with good astronomy in them can be found at http://www.astrosociety.org/education/resources/scifi.html His list of astronomically inspired music can be seen at: http://www.astronomy2009.org/static/resources/iya2009_music_astronomy.pdf
Fraknoi has served on the Board of Trustees of the SETI Institute
-- a scientific and educational organization devoted to the search for life in the universe—since its inception in 1985. In 2010 he was elected vice-chair of the Board. He was also on the program committee planning the first "SETIcon" -- a national weekend public conference devoted to the scientific quest for our counterparts among the stars, in August 2010.
The International Astronomical Union has named Asteroid 4859 Asteroid Fraknoi to recognize his contributions to science education and to the public understanding of astronomy.
Andrew Fraknoi AstroProf Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/Fraknoi
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
, is an astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at Foothill College
Foothill College
Foothill College is a community college located in Los Altos Hills, California and is part of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District. It was founded on January 15, 1957 by Founding Superintendent and President Dr. Calvin C. Flint.-History:...
and the 2007 California Professor of the Year awarded by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education
Council for Advancement and Support of Education
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education is a nonprofit association of educational institutions. It serves professionals in the field of educational advancement...
. Fraknoi also won the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Astronomical Society of the Pacific
The Astronomical Society of the Pacific is a scientific and educational organization, founded in San Francisco on February 7, 1889. Its name derives from its origins on the Pacific Coast, but today it has members all over the country and the world...
's 2007 Richard H. Emmons award, the American Institute of Physics's 2007 Andrew Gemant Award
Andrew Gemant Award
The Andrew Gemant Award is a prize awarded by the American Institute of Physics to a person who has made substantial cultural, artistic, or humanistic contributions to physics.. The award is named after Andrew Gemant....
(given for a lifetime of contributions to the intersection of physics and culture), and the American Astronomical Society
American Astronomical Society
The American Astronomical Society is an American society of professional astronomers and other interested individuals, headquartered in Washington, DC...
's 1994 Annenberg Foundation Award (for a lifetime of contributions to astronomy education.)
Fraknoi served as the Executive Director of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Astronomical Society of the Pacific
The Astronomical Society of the Pacific is a scientific and educational organization, founded in San Francisco on February 7, 1889. Its name derives from its origins on the Pacific Coast, but today it has members all over the country and the world...
from 1978 to 1992, edited its popular-level magazine, Mercury, and founded its newsletter for teachers, called The Universe in the Classroom. He was the founder and director of a program called "Project ASTRO," which sets up partnerships between volunteer astronomers and 4th - 9th grade teachers; each astronomer "adopts" one classroom for a year, visiting at least four times and working with the teacher to do hands-on activities in astronomy. The program is still operating in 12 sites around the country. Later he founded and directed "Family ASTRO" -- a project to design activities, kits and games to help families share the excitement of astronomical discovery. Fraknoi now works at the Society as Senior Educator, and edits an on-line column for its members, called "Astronomy Beat". Every three years, he organizes a national symposium for the Society called "Cosmos in the Classroom," which brings together 150 to 200 instructors of introductory college astronomy courses to learn and talk about how such courses can be made even more effective.
Fraknoi is the lead author of "Voyages through the Universe", an introductory college astronomy textbook, now in its third edition, published by Brooks-Cole. In 2007, his first children's book, entitled Wonderful World of Space, was published by Disney. In the 1980s he co-edited with Bryon Preiss two collections of science articles and science fiction stories, published by Bantam Books, called "The Universe" and "The Planets." With Sidney Wolff, Fraknoi founded and is co-editor of the first on-line journal devoted to astronomy education, "Astronomy Education Review" (found at: http://aer.aas.org).
In addition to astronomy, Fraknoi also teaches courses in the area of "physics for poets." His interdisciplinary course on Einstein's life and work, Physics 12, won the 2005 “Innovation of the Year” award from the League for Innovation. In the course, students learn about some of the areas on modern physics that Einstein had a role in creating or changing, and then read novels, stories, and poems, and hear music influenced by Einstein's work and ideas. Fraknoi frequently writes articles on interdisciplinary topics, such as using music, poetry, or science fiction to teach science. His list of science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
stories with good astronomy in them can be found at http://www.astrosociety.org/education/resources/scifi.html His list of astronomically inspired music can be seen at: http://www.astronomy2009.org/static/resources/iya2009_music_astronomy.pdf
Fraknoi has served on the Board of Trustees of the SETI Institute
SETI Institute
The SETI Institute is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to “explore, understand and explain the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe”. SETI stands for the "search for extraterrestrial intelligence". One program is the use of both radio and optical telescopes to search...
-- a scientific and educational organization devoted to the search for life in the universe—since its inception in 1985. In 2010 he was elected vice-chair of the Board. He was also on the program committee planning the first "SETIcon" -- a national weekend public conference devoted to the scientific quest for our counterparts among the stars, in August 2010.
The International Astronomical Union has named Asteroid 4859 Asteroid Fraknoi to recognize his contributions to science education and to the public understanding of astronomy.
External links
Andrew Fraknoi Page at Foothill College http://www.foothill.edu/ast/fraknoi.phpAndrew Fraknoi AstroProf Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/Fraknoi