Amy C. Oliver, FRAS
Born and raised in Utah, Amy C. Oliver, FRAS, heard and answered the call of desert astronomy in 2018, and moved to the Tucson area to work for the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in public science as the Public Affairs Officer and Visitor & Science Center Manager at Smithsonian's Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory. Amy loves sharing the wonders of the Universe with others so much that she also works as a program presenter for the Mount Lemmon Sky Center, as the Public Information & News Manager for the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and she even helps out at the National Optical and Infrared Laboratory (NOIRLab).
Amy is a light pollution expert and her research and advocacy efforts in dark skies preservation earned her an election in 2021 as a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society (FRAS). She also serves as a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, sits on the Tucson Sign Design Review Committee, and was formally appointed in 2021 to the Tucson/Pima County Outdoor Lighting Code Committee by the Mayor of Tucson.
As if she's not busy enough, Amy sits on the board for the Historical Astronomy Division of the American Astronomical Society, promoting the historical value of astronomy; and serves on the board of the National Emerging Museum Professionals Network, where she focuses on pay equity and salary transparency for new and longtime museum professionals. She is also an active journalist in medical technology and space science.
As the Nerdy Astronomer, and alongside her trusty telescope sidekick, Wilson, Amy shows the night sky to anyone who will stop and just look up.
When she's not dealing in space and technology, Amy can be found cuddling her two oversized cats, Phanta and Drew, and reading a good book.
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