2 December 2015

HAD Seeks Interviewees for Oral History Project in Kissimmee

Jarita Holbrook University of Edinburgh

had_aas_logo_250x120.png

The AAS Historical Astronomy Division (HAD) will be conducting oral history interviews at the 227th AAS meeting in Kissimmee, Florida, 4-8 January 2016, as part of the AAS Oral History project, now in its fourth year. At the XXIX General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union In Honolulu this past August we recorded 46 interviews, and at the AAS Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) meeting in November we recorded 8 more. For AAS 227 we have set aside time for 48 interviews.

What is an oral history interview? It's more than just an interview. Emphasis is placed on gathering names, dates, and locations, especially those connected to historical events. It is also a detailed conversation about the life of the person being interviewed, focusing on their family, those who influenced their scientific career, their career path, rough patches, and fun stories.

Do you have to be senior scientist or a famous scientist to participate? No! We would like to interview astronomers and those connected to astronomy of all ages and at all career stages. There are very few oral histories of people early in their careers (as well as a lack of diversity in general).

Each interview lasts 1½ to 2 hours and will be audio recorded. The recordings will be transcribed and placed in the American Institute of Physics (AIP) Oral History Archive at the Neils Bohr Library in College Park, Maryland. Jim Lattis, Sanlyn Buxner, and I will be conducting the interviews. Please sign up anytime between now and the start of the meeting.

Sign Up for an Oral History Interview in Kissimmee