Deborah Byrd

Deborah Byrd (born March 1, 1951, in San Antonio, Texas) is an American science journalist. She is editor-in-chief of EarthSky, which presents science news and night sky information. The website served more than 21 million users in 2019, according to Google Analytics.

Early life On March 1, 1951, Byrd was born in San Antonio, Texas. Her father was Kenneth Byrd, a long-time editor of the now-defunct newspaper, San Antonio Light. Her mother, Rosetta Schroeder Byrd, was a painter. Byrd secured the National Science Foundation grants that made StarDate's national distribution possible. She produced StarDate, with host Joel Block, until 1991. StarDate continues, under the auspices of the University of Texas McDonald Observatory.

Awards Byrd has won numerous awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor.

In 1984, Byrd was an early winner of the Klumpke-Roberts Award of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.

In 2003, under Byrd's leadership, 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".

In 2011, she won the Arts & Science Advocacy Award. Presented by Council of Colleges of Arts & Sciences (CCAS).

In 2020, Byrd was awarded the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the education of the public, students, and/or the next generation of professional astronomers. Byrd was recognized for her contributions to the Texas Star Party, the University of Texas McDonald Observatory's StarDate radio program and magazine, and the Earth & Sky radio program and website, "all of which epitomize her advocacy for science and her lifetime of service in educating and inspiring the public with the wonders and beauty of astronomy".