Dr. Michael Faison has been the Director of the Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium and a lecturer in the Yale Astronomy Department since 2004. He has taught physics and astronomy at Reed College, Beloit College, and Northwestern University. He has served as either Academic Director or Associate Academic Director of the Summer Science Program for 6 years, and he was also a staff instructor for the CUREA summer enrichment program at Mt. Wilson Observatory for 8 years. He received his bachelor’s degree in physics from Oberlin College and his PhD in astrophysics from U. Wisconsin, Madison. In his spare time, he enjoys dancing, long-distance cycling, rock climbing, and playing bluegrass music on his mandolin.
Kristin Kampp is the Program Coordinator for the Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium. She earned her bachelor’s in Anthropology at Oregon State University and has been working in higher education for almost 20 years. Kristin has had an interest in astronomy since high school and was fortunate enough to visit the Keck telescopes on top of Mauna Kea in Hawaii. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, choral singing, playing piano, traveling, and playing games with her kids.