John Percy (PhD Astronomy - 1968 University of Toronto) is a very active Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto, in Astronomy & Astrophysics, and in Science Education. He was a founding faculty member of the University of Toronto's Mississauga campus in 1967. His research deals with the nature and evolution of the stars, and he has published over 250 research papers and three books in these fields,most recently "Understanding Variable Stars" (Cambridge 2007).
He is also active in science education, especially astronomy education, at all levels, throughout the world. He has edited five major conference proceedings in this field. He has served as president of six national or international scientific and educational organizations, and as Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Ontario Science Centre, and as Honorary President of the Science Teachers Association of Ontario.
His most recent awards are the inaugural University of Toronto President's Teaching Award in 2007, the inaugural Qilak Award of the Canadian Astronomical Society in 2012 for outstanding contributions to public appreciation and understanding of astronomy, and the 2013 Education Prize of the American Astronomical Society.
The Amazing Universe
In this profusely-illustrated non-technical presentation, I hope to convince you that the universe, as astronomers now understand it, is as amazing, wondrous, and awe-inspiring as anything you may encounter in science fiction -- and it's real!
The emphasis will be on the most current, exciting aspects of astronomy. Lots of time for questions and discussion -- on any aspect of astronomy that you wish.
This event is part of the Fall 2017 Speaker series.
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