Congratulations to Michelle Larson

Dr. Michelle Larson, Adler President

ADLER PLANETARIUM NAMES MICHELLE B. LARSON NEW PRESIDENT

CHICAGO (December 11, 2012) The Board of Trustees of the Adler Planetarium has elected accomplished astrophysicist and experienced academic leader Michelle B. Larson, PhD, as president. Dr. Larson will become the Adler’s ninth leader and the first female president of America’s First Planetarium. Her appointment begins January 1, 2013.  As president, Dr. Larson will oversee a 21st century space science center that includes the  institution’s landmark museum complex, exhibition galleries and three theaters; a robust research enterprise; one of the world’s leading collections documenting  the history of science; and an award-winning education and outreach program. Annually, more than  470,000 people visit the Adler, making it one of Chicago’s leading tourist attractions.

Read the rest of the press release on the Adler’s website.

Shane adds, This is a highly visible and prominent position; the Adler is the oldest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere, and is one of the more prominent cultural institutions for astronomy education in North America (together with the Hayden Planetarium in New York where Neil deGrasse Tyson is director, and the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, where Ed Krupp is director).

Very exciting news, congratulations!