Candidate Statement: Derek L. Buzasi

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Nominated Office: Nominating Committee

Affiliation: Florida Gulf Coast University

Position/title: Professor

PhD institution: Penn State University (1989)

Areas of scientific interest:

  • Solar-stellar connection
  • Variable stars
  • Asteroseismology
  • Exoplanets
  • Optical/UV instrumentation

AAS positions & dates: 

  • Member, AAS, HEAD, SPD (1988-present)
  • AAS Agent (2014-present)
  • AAS Career Center (2014-15)

Other relevant positions & experience:

  • IAU (2003-present)
  • Sigma Xi (1990-present)
  • NASA Visiting Senior Scientist (Rotator, 1994-96)
  • Kepler Asteroseismic Science Consortium (KASC, 2000-present)
  • TESS Asteroseismic Science Consortium (TASC, 2015-present)
  • Numerous NASA review and advisory panels (including ADP/ADP, LTSA, Astrophysics Theory, Chandra, Keck, Kepler, AISR, Explorer Program, NVO SDT, etc.), and NSF review panels (including AAG, GRFP)

Candidate Statement: The nominating committee’s task is to identify capable, dedicated, and enthusiastic candidates for AAS leadership positions who reflect all of the varied qualities and qualifications of the society’s members. I have worked in a broad range of institutions, from small colleges to research universities and governmental organizations, and in astronomical applications ranging from multi-wavelength observations to theory to instrumentation; I believe this diverse background gives me a strong basis for identifying outstanding leadership candidates. I’ve also served productively on numerous committees from the institutional to the national level, and understand how to contribute to an organization in collegial yet meaningful ways. Finally, I also believe that the committee membership should reflect the Society as a whole, and my current status as a faculty member at a comprehensive university will help to give voice to those Society members who are not at research universities. If elected, I would be honored to serve as a member of the nominating committee, and would provide thoughtful and conscientious service to the AAS.