Session 5

9:15 to 10:15 AM
Education 1

Deep Space: Transcendent and Technoetic Countermeasures

Presenter: Mike Simmons

Upon seeing Earth as a planet among the stars, astronauts often experience the Overview Effect, a dramatic shift in their perspective on humanity's existence on this planet. Few will make it to space, but we can see our place in the Universe just by looking outward, recognizing that all of humanity is traveling through space together on Spaceship Earth. We all share the same sky, a shared heritage that has been a part of all cultures throughout history. Looking back at Earth, and exploring space from Earth's surface, we'll see how we can learn to recognize that we really are "all in this together", feel more connection with others, and learn to think more kindly of our fellow travelers.

Mike has been an amateur astronomer and outreach leader for more than 40 years and loves sharing the sky with others. Mike’s extensive travels, including visits with astronomy and space enthusiasts around the world, led to his recognizing astronomy as a universal interest that transcends cultural differences. Seeing our shared heritage of the night sky as a way to create community, understanding, and empathy through this universal and basic interest, Mike founded Astronomers Without Borders in 2006 to unite astronomy and space enthusiasts worldwide. He also led the astronomy’s largest participatory event during the International Year of Astronomy 2009, with a million people in most of the world’s countries gathering to observe the sky together during one night as darkness swept around the globe.

Mike sees astronomy’s exploration of the Universe as the Overview Effect for those of who won’t have the opportunity to travel into space. Exploring space from Earth’s surface, we see how we are traveling through space together on Spaceship Earth. Mike’s latest initiative, Astronomy for Equity, founded under the Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, addresses issues of diversity and inclusion using astronomy, space, and the Overview Effect as a way to see that we really are “all in this together.

Mike is a founding member of the Overview Institute, a member of the board directors of the International Dark-Sky Association, serves on the Outreach Committee of the African Astronomical Society, and is a member the International Astronomical Union’s Executive Committee Working Group on Diversity and Inclusion. He regularly gives presentations, both in the US and abroad, on using astronomy to improve international relations and reduce inequity.

Mike has received numerous awards for his work in the field, including having Minor Planet Simmons (22294) named in his honor in 2003. Mike 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.