A well-known researcher in planetary science, author of “Lonely Planets: The Natural Philosophy of Alien Life,” and former curator of astrobiology in the Department of Space Sciences at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Grinspoon held the inaugural Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology. As a scholar-in-residence at the Kluge Center Grinspoon used the Library’s collections and resources to research and write his forthcoming book on the Anthropocene Era, which will be a direct result of residency at the Kluge Center. He played an important role as an ambassador for astrobiology as Chair, meeting with Members of Congress, delivering several high-profile lectures, appearing in dozens of media outlets, and hosting a day-long symposium on the longevity of human civilization featuring scientists, scholars, science fiction authors, and journalists with remarks by U.S. Representative Lamar Smith (TX-21) and Director of the NASA Astrobiology Program, Mary Voytek. In 2014 he continued his residency at the Kluge Center as a distinguished visiting scholar.
News Releases
David Grinspoon Named the First Chair in Astrobiology At John W. Kluge Center
April 16, 2012
“Shaping the Future of the Earth: From Inside the Library of Congress”
November 1, 2013
“Inquiring Minds: An Interview with Astrobiologist David H. Grinspoon”
November 29, 2012