Candidate Statement: Susana Deustua

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Nominated Office: Councilor

Affiliation: Space Telescope Science Institute

Position/title: Associate Scientist

PhD institution: U.Michigan- Ann Arbor (1992)

Areas of scientific interest:

  • Absolute Spectrophotometric Calibration
  • Extragalactic Observational Astrophysics
  • Education

AAS positions:

  • Demographics Committee (2012-present)
  • Nominating Committee (2009-2012)
  • Longitudinal Survey in Astronomy (2006-present)
  • AAS Director of Education (2002-2008)

Other relevant positions and experience:

  • Co-Chair US International Year of Astronomy 2009 (2007-2010)
  • IAU IYA Executive Working Group (2007-2010)
  • AAPT Committee on Undergraduate Education (2006-2009)
  • DOE/NASA Joint Dark Energy Mission Science Definition Team (2004-2006)
  • NASA/DOE JDEM Science Coordinating Group (2008-2010)

2010 Decadal Survey Position Papers:

  • Author of In Support of Astronomy Education Research
  • Organizer and Co-Author of Photometric Calibrations for 21st Century Science,
  • Co-author of: a) Type Ia supernova science 2010-2020, b) Workforce Development in Astronomy, c) Small Research Telescope Challenge

AAS Special Session Organizer: Demographic Studies and the AAS (2014), The Role of Calibration in Modern Optical and Infrared Astronomy (2013), IYA2009 and Beyond: Global Overview and Cornerstone Projects (2010), Hubble's Diverse Universe (2010), International Year of Astronomy 2009 Overview (2009, co-organizer) Cool Astronomy (2002 - 2006)

Review Panels (since 2000)

  • NSF for AST Career, Instrumentation, Science and NSF EHR Education
  • NASA for SMD Education, Instrumentation
  • DOE for Science

Societies:

  • IAU member (2002-present)
  • AAPT (2002-2010)
  • ASP

Candidate Statement: Our Society¹s mission is to support and disseminate scientific understanding of the Universe through publications and meetings, by training and mentoring the next generation of astronomers, by assisting members to develop their skills and talents in education and outreach, and to work with other organizations to promote the advancement of science. The Council is the governing body of the Society and manages, directs and controls the Society¹s affairs and property, determines the Society¹s policies and actively carries out the Society¹s plans. Our challenge is making sure the daily activities of the Council match and support all of our Society¹s goals, even when we find ourselves in the current era of declining budgets for science, so that the AAS fulfills its mission.

If elected councilor, I will work towards ensuring that the Society continues to be an open, vibrant and inclusive community of scholars, educators, instrumentalists and policy makers by promoting who we are and what we do. To this effort I bring passion for doing good, dedication to education and diversity, accompanied with the appropriate experience, which includes extensive history working with the AAS Council and  Executive Office through my former tenure as the AAS Director of Education, as well as service on various committees. The universe is ours to discover!