Speakers Bureau

Another interesting outreach initiative from the AAVSO is the Speakers Bureau. The Speakers Bureau is a service established for people and groups looking for enthusiastic, knowledgeable speakers to provide informative presentations for astronomy clubs, star parties, banquets, Scout Troops, Astronomy Day activities and other public and private astronomy functions.

You can see a list of the available speakers, along with the list of topics they can cover here. This is only a list of topics the speakers have spoken to in the past. If you're looking for something specific, just ask. We can probably accommodate you.

Most speakers are willing to travel a reasonable distance, generally two hours drive from home, free of charge. Reimbursement for speaking engagements requiring more miles and time can be negotiated on an individual basis with the speakers themselves. The speakers' home town and distance they will travel are included on the web page.

To request a speaker for your astronomical function simply send an email to aavso at aavso dot org with 'Speakers Bureau' in the title. We will put you in touch with the individual you request or suggest one for you.

Some of the speakers from the bureau and I will be giving talks at this years Astronomical League Convention (ALCon 2009) in New York, NY this August. If you are going to attend, look me up. I'm always glad to get to know fellow astronomers.


If you are unable to get a speaker for your event due to time, money or geographical challenges, AAVSO also offers a library of ready-made PowerPoint presentations you can use to give a talk yourself. These are available free for download from the AAVSO Education and Outreach Pages.