Alan Hirshfeld

Alan Hirshfeld is Professor of Physics at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and an Associate of the Harvard College Observatory. He received his undergraduate degree in astrophysics from Princeton University in 1973 and his Ph.D. in astronomy from Yale in 1978. His widely praised book, "Parallax: The Race to Measure the Cosmos," published in 2002 by Henry Holt & Co., chronicles the human stories involved in the centuries-long quest to measure the first distance to a star. His second book, "The Electric Life of Michael Faraday," published in 2006 by Walker & Co., describes the life and work of the 19th century scientist who developed the electric motor, electric generator, and many fundamental ideas about electricity, magnetism, and light. "Eureka Man: The Life and Legacy of Archimedes," published by Walker & Co. in 2009, was released in paperback in September 2010. Prof. Hirshfeld's "Astronomy Activity and Laboratory Manual," a collection of mathematical exercises for college astronomy courses, was published by Jones & Bartlett Learning in 2009. His most recent book, "Starlight Detectives: How Astronomers, Inventors, and Eccentrics Discovered the Modern Universe," was a finalist for the Boston Author's Club's 2016 Julia Ward Howe writing award. Prof. Hirshfeld has lectured nationwide about scientific history and discovery and is Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect of the American Astronomical Society's Historical Astronomy Division. He is a regular science-book reviewer for the Wall Street Journal.