Outreach

I am a passionate science communicator with the skills of both a professional astrophysicist and an amateur astronomer.

In my opinion, outreach and education are very important in getting the public to understand what we scientists do and why we do it. I have an extensive and well-demonstrated experience in engagement, outreach and public talks, as I have done this since I was very young (I did my first outreach activity in 1991, when I was 13 years old). In addition, I consider that outreach is one of the most rewarding tasks scientists can do. So, yes, I do participate in a lot of outreach activities, as many as my research and other academic tasks allow me.

My outreach activities are diverse: astrophotography, timelapses, live and videoconference talks, blogging about astronomy and astrophysics research, social media, organising and participating in many science communication events and podcasting as well as the connection between professional astrophysicists and amateur astronomers. I have long been involved in educating our society in STEM and encouraging girls and boys to pursue STEM careers.

I am the creator, organiser and one of the speakers of the science communication events “The Story of Light” for Vivid Sydney Ideas (since 2015), monthly “Astronomy at The Calyx” at Sydney’s Botanic Gardens (since 2017), and “Unveiling the Universe with light” for Sydney’s National Science Week (since 2016), that are typically sold out.

I prepare popular science writings for amateur astronomy magazines, press, and internet. My three blogs are exclusively dedicated to Astronomy and Science. In 2003 I was the first Spanish astrophysicist to create a blog about Astronomy, “El Lobo Rayado” (a bad translation from “Wolf-Rayet stars”). Since 2009 I write a weekly 1-page Astronomy article in “Diario Córdoba” newspaper, Spain (365+ articles to date).

Since 2016 I collaborate with SBS radio Australia in Spanish in the monthly 10-minutes section “Astronomía para Principiantes”. I am the creator and co-host (with proud Wiradjuri PhD candidate Ms Kirsten Banks) of the podcast “The Skyentists”.

I am active on social media and I am included in the list of “100 Twitter-Top Followed Astrophysicists”, @El_Lobo_Rayado.

I am involved in Citizen Science projects such as “RadioGalaxyZoo” and “Planet Hunters with TESS” that have led to 3 research papers and several non-refereed publications. I led the AAT observations, data processing and analysis to classify 2 transients reported by citizen scientists during the 2018 TV shows “Stargazing ABC” (hosted by Prof Brian Cox and Julia Zemiro) as supernova type-Ia.

I also collaborate in initiatives for public consciousness-raising about light pollution. My astronomy timelapse videos have received 1/4+ million views in YouTube and have been used by ABC (Australia), BBC (UK), TVE (Spain) and in Science Museums worldwide.

If you are a teacher and would like to get a passionate astrophysicist to talk to your students, or you are organising a science event and you are looking for an astronomer to give a keynote presentation or organising an stargazing night, or you just need a dynamic science communicator, please do not hesitate on contacting me.

I’m also available for media interviews and other media enquiries, more information about this on my media webpage.