William Gutsch, Ph.D., graduate of Saint Peter’s College, class of 1967, and distinguished professor in the College of Arts and Sciences/School of Business Administration at Saint Peter’s, has been elected to be the next president of the Board of Directors of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP). The ASP, which was founded in 1889, is the largest general astronomy society in the world with members participating from over 70 nations. Dr. Gutsch joins an illustrious group of past presidents to serve the ASP’s Board of Directors, including Edwin Hubble, who discovered the expanding universe and for whom the Hubble Space Telescope is named.
Since 1995, Dr. Gutsch has served as the president of Great Ideas, providing services for NASA, various local and national governments, as well as major universities and science museums around the world. He has also served as the chairman of the American Museum of Natural History’s Hayden Planetarium, as well as the president and chief executive officer of the Challenger Center for Space Science Education.
Dr. Gutsch previously worked for ABC’s Good Morning America and World News This Morning as a science correspondent. Additionally, he has written, produced, and appeared on programs for PBS, NBC, CNN, The Learning Channel, and NASA-TV; he was nominated for an Emmy in 1986. Dr. Gutsch has also worked with film production companies such as Paramount, Lucasfilm Ltd., and The Children’s Television Workshop.
Dr. Gutsch graduated from Saint Peter’s College with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics. He received his Master of Science in astrophysics, as well as his doctoral degree from the University of Virginia. He was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 1995 from Saint Peter’s.
The ASP increases the understanding and appreciation of astronomy by engaging scientists, educators, enthusiasts, and the public to advance science and science literacy. The ASP’s earliest purpose was to disseminate astronomical information, and has grown throughout its 120-year history to become recognized as a leader in the field of astronomy education.
