SUNY Oneonta Student Receives Hamilton Planetarium Scholarship

SUNY Oneonta student Skyler Reed has been selected to receive a national scholarship for students interested in pursuing careers in astronomy, specifically the planetarium field.

Skyler, a member of the Class of 2024, received the Hamilton Planetarium Scholarship in recognition of his work at the SUNY Oneonta planetarium. A Communications Studies major, Skyler is also president of the student-run Nebula Society. The Nebula Society is composed of students from a variety of majors interested in learning how to conduct planetarium shows on campus, exploring the connections between storytelling, graphic design, music, coding and science. Using the Digistar 6 software, the Nebula Society works with other campus organizations to host music nights and open mic presentations in the planetarium.

Skyler has produced and facilitated shows using the SUNY Oneonta Digistar planetarium system since 2020. He has completed multiple astronomy courses and plans to explore his options in the planetarium field after graduation.

"Skyler is an excellent planetarium presenter and is very skilled at using our Digistar planetarium system," said Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy Dr. Valerie Rapson. "He has spent countless hours presenting planetarium shows to the campus community and teaching other students how to use the planetarium. Through partnerships with student clubs, local bands and academic departments across campus, Skyler has helped increase awareness of the planetarium and all it has to offer. He will make a great astronomy educator and planetarium director in the future."

The Hamilton Planetarium Scholarship ranges in value from $500 to $5,000 and may be renewed on an annual basis. Grantees also receive a free one-year membership in the International Planetarium Society and their local regional planetarium association. Only a handful of students have received the scholarship each year over the past decade, with as few as one student a year and as many as three.

Applicants for the Hamilton Planetarium Scholarship must meet the criteria by answering six questions regarding planetarium experience, talents of value in the profession, non-traditional experiences, and how they would explain a controversial astronomy topic to their audience. Additionally, they must share their other experiences in the astronomy field at large, as well as why they want to pursue a planetarium career.