Allyson Bieryla

Born: Unknown

Country of Birth: USA

Nationality: USA

Ethnicity: White

University of Colorado at Boulder BA Astrophysics, Physics & Fine Arts 2005; Harvard University Extension School MA Software Engineering 2002 & Graduate Level Certificate Data Science 2019; University of Queensland PhD in Astrophysics expected completion 2026

""This event (the Job Shadow) helps draw attention to the necessity of increasing accessibility in STEM, and ensures that students who are interested in astronomy are empowered to pursue it," (cfa.harvard.edu); "Astronomy is a science that excites and inspires people, and no one should be denied that due to accessibility,” (cfa.harvard.edu); "I run The LightSound Project. We designed a sonification (converts light t sound) device to serve as a tool for the blind and low vision community to observe a solar eclipse. We are building and distributing these devices for the April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse." (lweb.cfa.harvard.edu); "The device is made up of just a few components. There's a microcontroller board, which is kind of like a little mini computer where the code sits. There's this high dynamic range light sensor; as the light comes, it's just measuring the intensity or brightness of the light. Then it goes through this microcontroller, which is where the code is, where it kind of maps that light intensity to a sound. Then we have a MIDI component. Some musicians may be familiar with that term, but it's just a component that allows us to assign instruments to the sound to give it a more pleasant sound. The way we've done it is we've mapped the brightest light to a flute sound, the mid-range goes into a clarinet sound and then the lowest range kind of goes into like a low clicking, which slows down as you get into totality. Then it's got this on-off switch and an audio jack. You can output the sound to headphones, so you can have your own individual experience — if you wish. You can connect it to a speaker; some groups have connected to this device to to a speaker and had a listening section or sound section of the eclipse. You can also connect the device to a computer, and you can record the data and analyze or sonify it later." (vermontpublic.org); “When someone sees Saturn for the first time through the telescope and shouts, ‘No way. That’s a cartoon. That’s not real. That’s so cool!’ — that instant excitement is contagious. That shouldn’t be denied to anyone.” (news.harvard.edu); in describing a tactile printer she stated, “The printer produces heat and, using special heat-sensitive paper, creates images that are raised so a student who can’t see the images can feel them and understand what other students are seeing.” (news.harvard.edu); "

— Allyson Bieryla

Field of Study: Astrophysics; Astronomy

Institution/Corporation: Harvard University; Harvard University Extension School; Smithsonian

Degrees & Memberships: Member: American Astronomical Society Working Groups on Accessibility & Disabilities (WGAD, 2017), International Astronomical Union Working Group on Astronomy for Equity & Inclusion (2018), American Astronomical Society (2005) Denver Geophysical society (2007-08)

Awards: 2019 Dean's Distinction, Harvard University; 2011 & 2013 Impact Award, Harvard University

Achievements: works at the Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian (cfa) & is 1 of the leads of the Job Shadow Day since 2017 where students with disabilities visit cfa & are paired with an employee for the day to learn about job opportunities & possible new careers, the Day is chaired by Christine Crowley, another employee at cfa & they pair with the Perkins School for the Blind, the Ross Center at UMass & Work Without Limits but the program is open to any student from high school & above;is the co-founder & runs the Harvard Observing Project (HOP); is committed to bringing astrophysics & astronomy to people with disabilities & has helped develop LightSound & Orchestar devices to enable the blind to "see" astronomical events through sonification (a field developed by Wanda Diaz Merced)