Deborah Byrd
Encyclopedia
Deborah Byrd is an American science journalist. She is executive producer and cohost of the internationally syndicated Earth & Sky
radio series.
Byrd created and produced the astronomy radio show StarDate in 1978. With host Joel Block
, Byrd left StarDate in 1991 and began producing and hosting Earth & Sky, which consists of 90-second radio spots on science.
Byrd has won numerous awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid
named 3505 Byrd in her honor. Byrd was an early winner of the Klumpke-Roberts Award
of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
. In 2003, Earth & Sky became the first radio show ever to win a Public Service Award from the U.S. National Science Board
"for its achievement in broadcasting explanations of research and everyday science to a worldwide audience".
Byrd is also the founder of the annual Texas Star Party
, a week-long astronomy festival.
Earth & Sky
Earth & Sky is a daily radio series presenting information about science and nature. It began broadcasting in 1991. Earth & Sky is the creation of producers Deborah Byrd and Joel Block, also the hosts, whose program "Star Date" began broadcasting in the U.S...
radio series.
Byrd created and produced the astronomy radio show StarDate in 1978. With host Joel Block
Joel Block
Joel Block, Ph.D. is a psychologist and published author. He is a specialist on relationships and sexuality, and has appeared on numerous television and radio shows. Block has also been a Psychology consultant for ABC...
, Byrd left StarDate in 1991 and began producing and hosting Earth & Sky, which consists of 90-second radio spots on science.
Byrd has won numerous awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
named 3505 Byrd in her honor. Byrd was an early winner of the Klumpke-Roberts Award
Klumpke-Roberts Award
The Klumpke-Roberts Award was established from a bequest by astronomer Dorothea Klumpke-Roberts and recognizes outstanding contributions to the public understanding and appreciation of astronomy...
of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Astronomical Society of the Pacific
The Astronomical Society of the Pacific is a scientific and educational organization, founded in San Francisco on February 7, 1889. Its name derives from its origins on the Pacific Coast, but today it has members all over the country and the world...
. In 2003, Earth & Sky became the first radio show ever to win a Public Service Award from the U.S. National Science Board
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
"for its achievement in broadcasting explanations of research and everyday science to a worldwide audience".
Byrd is also the founder of the annual Texas Star Party
Texas Star Party
The Texas Star Party is one of the largest annual star parties in the United States.TSP was started by Deborah Byrd, members of the Austin Astronomical Society, and McDonald Observatory in August 1979. It was a weekend gathering of amateur astronomers at Davis Mountains State Park near McDonald...
, a week-long astronomy festival.