Location: Agoura, California, USA
Other Affiliations: Dark-Sky International Board of Directors; IAU Working Group on Astronomy for Equity and Inclusion; African Astronomical Society Outreach Committee; Founder of Astronomy for Equity
Contact: mikesimmons@bmsis.org
Links: Astro4Equity, LinkedIn, Facebook, X
Mike Simmons has been an astronomy outreach leader and organizer for 50 years.
Meeting astronomy and space enthusiasts in less-visited countries showed Mike that astronomy is a universal interest that transcends cultural differences. He founded Astronomers Without Borders in 2006 to unite astronomy and space enthusiasts worldwide to create community, understanding, and empathy through their common passion for astronomy. During the International Year of Astronomy 2009, Mike led a program that engaged a million people observing through telescopes in one night worldwide.
Mike founded his latest initiative, Astronomy for Equity, to address issues of diversity and inclusion using astronomy and space. He is also an Affiliate Research Scientist at Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, a founding member of the Overview Institute, and a member of the board directors of the International Dark-Sky Association. He serves on the International Astronomical Union’s Executive Working Group on Diversity and Inclusion and the Outreach Committee of the African Astronomical Society.
Mike is a regular speaker in the US and abroad on how astronomy is used to improve international relations, reduce inequity, and provide opportunities for marginalized communities. Mike has received numerous awards for his work in the field, including having Minor Planet Simmons (22294) named in his honor in 2003. He was also awarded the prestigious 2014 Gabrielle and Camille Flammarion Prize from the Société Astronomique de France (SAF) for “setting a worldwide example that astronomy does transcend political and cultural borders.”
Mike is retired from a career as a biomedical researcher at the School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He lives in the mountains of Southern California, USA with his wife.