Allyson Bieryla Named 2026 Shapley Visiting Lecturer

The American Astronomical Society has named Allyson Bieryla--Manager of the Astronomy Lab and Clay Telescope, as well as Assistant DUS in Astronomy--a 2026 Shapley Visiting Lecturer. In her role, Alyson will give a series of astronomy-themed lectures to students at the SUNY Niagara Community College in Sanborn, NY, coupled with a public talk to the local community.

This year's 21 astronomers will visit destinations in 17 US states covering a wide swath of the country. Each Shapley Lecturer will deliver an accessible presentation about their scientific work to public audiences at each destination. Each visit will also include 2–3 days of local engagement with schools and community organizations, creating opportunities for students and members of the public to meet a scientist.

The award is named for Harlow Shapley, the sixth director of the Harvard College Observatory, who oversaw a period of great change between 1921 and 1952. Famous for his participation in the Great Debate of 1920, Shapley built on Henrietta Swan Leavitt’s research concerning the Cepheid period-luminosity relationship. He was the academic advisor of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin and persuaded her to pursue a doctoral program at Radcliffe College, where she wrote her foundational thesis Stellar Atmospheres.