ABOUT EARTHBOUND ASTRONOMER
Hi, I’m Dawn Davies — informal astronomy educator, night sky advocate, and founder of Earthbound Astronomer. With over 16 years of experience in astronomy, space science, and natural science education, my mission is simple: ASTRONOMY FOR ALL.
I created Earthbound Astronomer as a resource hub for fellow science communicators, amateur astronomers, and curious minds. It’s a space where open-source educational tools, night sky preservation materials, outreach services, and STEM-based events come together to inspire wonder and ignite discovery. My background is rooted in both the sciences and the humanities. I hold a B.A. in Culture, Ecology, and Sustainability — a field that bridges the natural world with the human experience. That perspective shapes how I teach and communicate, always seeking to make complex ideas accessible, inclusive, and grounded in real-world connections.
Over the years, I’ve had the honor of presenting at gatherings such as the Texas Star Party, the Astronomical League Conference, and the American Astronomical Society. I’m also grateful to have received awards for environmental education and historical contribution from the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Originally from San Francisco, I grew up hiking, camping, and stargazing — experiences that deeply shaped my love for the cosmos and our place within it. By high school, I was leading the Astronomy Club and visiting local schools to share the basics of space science. That early spark never left.
These days, I serve as the Night Sky Program Manager for the Hill Country Alliance, working with communities across Central Texas to protect the night from light pollution and celebrate the natural beauty of the stars. When I’m not out on a dark-sky excursion or setting up telescopes, you’ll find me enjoying the Hill Country with my husband and our teenage son — or reenacting Viking life with the Texas Lag of Jomsborg.
Thanks for visiting Earthbound Astronomer. I’m so glad you’re here — and I hope you’ll find something that inspires your own journey through the stars.
Board Member | Texas Informal Science Education Association
Solar System Ambassador | NASA
Eclipse Ambassador | Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Ambassador | Astronomy in Chile Educator Ambassador Program (ACEAP 2020)
Explore Alliance Ambassador | Explore Scientific
Volunteer Advocate | International Dark Sky Association
Dark Skies Ambassador | International Astronomical Union
Member - Austin Astronomical Society, Astronomers Without Borders. Astronomical Society of the Pacific, International Dark Sky Association (IDA), Texas Chapter of the IDA
OUR PARTNERS
Founder and director of Starry Sky Austin, Amy Jackson is an educator EXTRAORDINAIRE and crusader for dark skies.
A graduate of the University of Houston and Rice University, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Physics and a Master of Science in Teaching. her mission, and that of Starry Sky Austin, is to provide astronomy outreach and education to individuals of all ages; “…we inspire people to become lifelong learners, grow in awareness of our place in the universe, and truly connect with the cosmos”.
Her background is extensive, having taught at the University of Texas in Austin, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Austin Independent School District, the Austin Nature and Science Museum, and Travis County’s Reimers Ranch Observatory. Amy also serves as the Night Sky Program Director for the Travis County Parks Foundation. In 2017, she was selected as one of ten ambassadors to take part in the Astronomy in Chile Educator Ambassador Program, spending nine days on an expedition in the high elevations of the Atacama Desert. In 2018, she was awarded the Million Women Mentors - Texas Individual Mentor Stand Up for STEM Award for her passion in encouraging and inspiring girls and women to pursue careers in STEM, as well as her tireless devotion to education and outreach.
in her downtime, you can find Amy out camping or hiking in the many city and state parks with her husband and three daughters. she is also an accomplished writer, the author of “Cassandra and the night sky,” a children’s book about a brave girl growing up in a land without stars. Past collaborations have included co-teaching astronomy through the University of Texas Informal Educator Program and co-leading space science badge workshops for the Girl Scout Council of Central Texas.
Ambassador | Astronomy in Chile Educator Ambassador Program (ACEAP 2017)
Member | Austin Astronomical Society, Astronomy Society of the Pacific, DarkSky International, DarkSky Texas, Texas Chapter of the IDA, Children in Nature Collaborative of Austin, Astronomers Without Borders, American Association of Variable Star Observers
Joi has had a lifelong passion for astronomy since the age of 8, growing up in Houston, where she immersed herself in the works of Carl Sagan and Isaac Asimov. She taught herself to identify constellations by lying on the family car at night. Though accepted into the US Air Force Academy, she chose to attend the University of Texas at Austin instead.
At the University of Texas at Austin, Joi initially pursued a degree in aerospace engineering but soon realized her true interests lay in interdisciplinary studies. She found herself captivated not only by astronomy and (thermo)dynamics but also by the connections across space sciences, literature, mythology, theology, and cultural anthropology. She earned a BA in Classics (Latin) and English, followed by an MA in English Literature, with a specialization in British Literature and Technology.
In 2018, she was the Democratic candidate for Texas Comptroller and currently serves as the Endorsements Chair for Annie’s List. She is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Cook's Nook, and the Chair of the Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board. She is also in the process of building her own observatory site near Big Bend National Park to house her 14” Dobsonian truss telescope. She also owns a 6" refractor and an S50 Seestar. Joi is the former Communications and Member Service Chair of the Austin Astronomical Society, and she's currently the club's Astronomical League Correspondent.
Her mission is to inspire Black and Brown communities to embrace the value of “always looking up”—you never know where it may lead. As Carl Sagan said, “The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.”
Astronomical League Correspondent | Austin Astronomical Society
Astronomy Volunteer | Girl Scouts of Central Texas
Committee Member | International Academy of Aeronautics - Space Traffic Management
Member | Astronomers Without Borders, The Planetary Society