Alan is a retired research chemist with wide interests in science, nature, and the fine arts.  He holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Utah and 39 US patents in fields ranging from oil refining to analytical instruments to growing algae for biofuel to methods of electricity production using geothermal energy.  He teaches classes in several areas of science (and music theory) at the Osher Institute of the University of Utah.  In the realm of dark skies, Alan and wife Vickie are the heart of the Dark Skies Field Team, a small group of friends that has been involved in aiding the applications of at least eight different national parks and monuments as Dark Sky Places.  In token of their efforts, Alan and Vickie were jointly awarded the Dark Sky Defenders recognition at the 2019 IDA National Meeting. 

 Paul Ricketts holds a bachelor’s degree in physics with a minor in Astronomy from the University of Utah. He’s worked in the field of astronomy for almost 20 years and has been involved in astronomy for almost 30. He runs the South Physics observatory, Willard Eccles Observatory, and is the coordinator for the AstronomUr Outreach Group in the Dept. of Physics and Astronomy. He’s conducted research with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and helped with the design and consulting of five observatories. He grew up in small town Utah with the night sky above his head which lead him to where he is today. He’s been involved with dark skies since 2007 and has worked with the Consortium of Dark Sky Studies, Utah DSI, the Colorado Plateau Dark Sky Cooperative, and has helped over a dozen parks and cities obtain dark sky status. He’s an avid photographer of both the day and night. 

I teach and do astronomy research on nearby galaxies and supermassive black holes at the University of Utah.  One of the things I love most about Utah is how easy it is to get out to dark places and sit under the stars.  As our state grows, we need more dark sky advocates to help keep that experience available.   I’ve been involved in the development of the minor in dark sky studies at the U, and run a dark sky and astronomy outreach internship down at Bryce Canyon National Park.  

 Heidi Hoven is a wetland ecologist, having earned her PhD in Natural Resource Management and MS in Plant Biology from the University of New Hampshire with a special interest in saline systems and plant physiology, and landed her career at one of the ‘birdiest’ and saltiest places: Great Salt Lake. She is currently the assistant Gillmor Sanctuary manager for National Audubon Society where she learned first-hand of an alarming and growing threat to migrating birds – light pollution. With the onset of a state correctional facility being constructed one mile from the sanctuary and the fast-paced development of inland port facilities, she became keenly interested in helping promote bird-friendly artificial lighting policy around Great Salt Lake and other Important Bird Areas of Utah. She co-authored a poster at the 2017 ALAN conference at Snowbird, Utah, and co-chairs the Lighting Ordinance Committee for the Utah IDA chapter. When she’s not out working for shorebirds at Gillmor, she mentors data analysis on her daughter and son’s robotics team, loves playing in the mountains, water and desert, and helps run her family’s biodynamic produce farm in the summer.

 Being woken up by a newly placed streetlight outside my bedroom window, I surprisingly became aware to the subtle light dome being placed over my head.  It had been a long time since I had looked up and gazed at the stars.  I had forgotten to stop life for a second and look up. I then realized; I was losing the ability to share with my children the Milky Way from our backyard as my Father did while I was a child. This led me to discover my local Dark Sky Park and the work being done by many groups including the Utah State Parks and the International Dark Sky Association.  I attended a night sky photography workshop at Antelope Island State Park and was immediately blown away at the images that I was able to capture with my camera. Three years later, you will find me passionately advocating protection of the night sky through my astro-photography and teaching others to “Touch” the sky on their own.  Once you touch it for yourself, you will never be the same. My name is Ryan Andreasen and proud to be a “Star Nerd” and volunteer for the Utah Chapter of the International Dark Sky Association

Wayne is retired from the USAF as a Special Operations Pilot and from Russell Investments where he was an account manager as well as the COO of Global Business Analysis and CEO of Global Business Resources.  He enjoyed seeing the heavens and the stars from 30 and 40 thousand feet when he was flying. Wayne has many years of volunteering and working with communities.  While living in the PNW he was an elected commissioner of a regional parks and recreation district for 6 years as well as helping to organize community emergency response teams. He recently moved to UT from the PNW and has been enjoying the large night skies.  He has several telescopes and is on the board of the Utah Valley Astronomy Club and a member of the Salt Lake Astronomical Society.  He loves the night skies and wants to ensure that as many individuals and families as possible can see the stars, planets, and the beautiful Milky Way.  He is now learning astrophotography to enjoy lasting images.

 Duke Johnson is currently Associate Director of the Clark Planetarium, he works to provide inspirational experiences for a wide audience. He holds a Master’s Degree in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota. Growing up in North Dakota, he enjoyed truly dark night skies and relished amazing views of the Milky Way. The advent of digital photography allowed him to focus on place-based astrophotography throughout Utah and surrounding states. Throughout his adventures in photography, he has seen firsthand how our clear dark skies have disappeared over the last 20 years.