ABOUT US

Dr. Charlotte Wood

Email: charlotte@astrowe-education.org

Website: https://charlottemwood.com/#

Charlotte is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. Prior to coming to NC A&T, she was the Astronomy & Astrophysics Prize Postdoctoral Fellow at Iowa State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Notre Dame. Her research focuses on understanding type Ia supernovae progenitors and what effects the intrinsic variations in type Ia supernovae have on the Hubble constant measurement. Charlotte loves to share her passion for astronomy with the community and is committed to improving retention of historically underrepresented groups in physics/astronomy!

Anthony Scandurra

Email: email@email.com

Website: http://greensboroastronomyclub.org

I was seven years old and walking with my mother through a Woolworth's store when I spotted the book "Stars" from the Golden Guide series. I asked my mom if she would buy it for me. She did and set me on a path of lifelong interest in astronomy. Ever since, my collection of astronomy books has grown with each passing year.

My parents bought my first telescope for me when I was eight years old. Now, I am fortunate to have a wife who indulges me when I want to buy astronomy-related hardware.

My primary interests are visual astronomy, astrophotography, astronomy-related software and equipment integration, and optics. I currently serve as the Secretary of the Greensboro Astronomy Club. I am also an amateur radio operator (K4QE) licensed for over 47 years.

I am the proud father of 22-year old fraternal twins, a boy and a girl, with whom I share with my wife of 25 years.

I have been working as a computer systems and networking administrator for almost 40 years. I am currently employed as a Principal Systems Administrator with the SAS Institute in Cary, NC working in the Cloud Services division where I install and maintain SAS software on servers running Linux and Windows.

anthony.scandurra@gmail.com

Abbas Mokhtarzadeh

Website: https://www.lookingupastro.org/

I am an amateur astronomer and structural engineer based in Waxhaw, North Carolina, with a lifelong passion for exploring the cosmos. My journey began in high school when I joined the amateur astronomy club at Tabriz University in Iran, where I developed my observational skills and published articles that fueled my enthusiasm for sharing astronomical knowledge.

In addition to my outreach work, I lead informal science and astronomy programs for pre-K and school students, as well as the general public. As a volunteer with NASA JPL’s Astronomy in Chile Educator Programs (ACEAP), I help develop educational resources that promote astronomical literacy.

My commitment to expanding astronomy outreach also includes supporting IAU initiatives, such as translating "Women and Girls in Astronomy" and "Big Ideas in Astronomy" into Persian languages as part of IAU outreach projects. As the newly appointed IAU Co-NOC for the USA, I am eager to contribute to IAU-NOC projects and foster collaboration between professional and amateur astronomers nationwide. I plan to organize both virtual and in-person activities that integrate astronomy and Earth science themes into broader community events, aiming to engage diverse audiences across the country.

Above all, my work is dedicated to inspiring wonder and curiosity through the joy of astronomical observation. I strive to ignite a passion for astronomy in others and cultivate the next generation of astronomers and science enthusiasts.