Dr. John Hood, a graduate of CSU’s Earth and Space Sciences program, will visit CSU’s Coca-Cola Space Science Center on Saturday, April 20, 2024. Dr. Hood will meet the public and present his work with the South Pole Telescope Team, featuring pictures and stories of his trip to the South Pole. An astrophysicist at the University of Chicago, Dr. Hood is also a recipient of the Antarctic Service Medal from the U.S Department of Defense for his contributions to exploration and scientific achievement under the United States Antarctic Program.

While living in Columbus, Dr. Hood attended Key Elementary, Eddy Middle School and Carver High School. After graduation, he enrolled in Columbus State University where he received his B.S. degree in Astrophysics and Planetary Geology, with minors in Physics, Geology and Robotics. Dr. Hood earned his Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University for his work on Active Galactic Nuclei and the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation. He recently was selected as a National Science Foundation (NSF) Fellow with the Office of Polar Programs for a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Chicago.

Dr. Hood has been an author or co-author of nine publications in juried professional journals, as well as 16 workshops, poster sessions, and presentations.  He is a member of the National Society of Black Physicists, the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers, the American Astronomical Society and was inducted into the prestigious Sigma Xi scientific honor society.

Please plan to join Dr. Hood at CSU’s Coca-Cola Space Science Center on April 20th and share in his adventures at the bottom of the world! His presentation begins at 4:00 p.m., and admission is free, but seating is limited. For more information, email info@ccssc.org.