Astronomy for everyone

The Universe belongs to curious people, not only to people with telescope time. I write, translate, teach, and speak about astronomy because a good question can begin anywhere — in a classroom, a bookshop, or a conversation beneath the night sky.

Writing and translation

I have published more than 50 astronomy-related articles and translated five books, according to my October 2026 CV. My earlier website lists work with Chinese publications including National Astronomy of China, Guangming Daily, Science World, Guokr, and others. It also describes my Chinese translations of Is Einstein Still Right?, Supernova, and Loops. Publication and translation details can change; please contact me for a current bibliography of outreach writing.

Teaching the sky

In 2025 I chaired the organising committee and lectured at the first Edinburgh School of Extragalactic Astronomy: five days of lectures organised by early-career researchers for about 120 participants. I taught sessions on distant-galaxy emission, radiation transfer, telescope proposals, and reading scientific papers. I have also supervised summer research students and taught practical observing and data reduction, including in Kenya.

Public talks and conversations

My outreach talks range from the hidden history of star formation to what it is actually like to work as an astronomer. I have given invited public talks in English and Chinese and joined podcasts to discuss astronomy with wider audiences. The common thread is to begin with a familiar question — What can light tell us? — before introducing the methods that make an answer possible.

Northern lights over Edinburgh. A reminder that the sky can surprise us close to home, too.

Art, access, and community

My earlier site records work on the astronomy-themed art exhibition Cosmic Elements (步天歌), as well as educational activities for students in regions with fewer science resources. I am interested in collaborations that make astronomy accessible across languages and disciplines.

中文简介：我希望把天文学讲成每个人都能参与的探索。无论是写作、翻译、课堂还是观测活动，最好的起点通常不是术语，而是一个真诚的问题：我们怎样知道遥远宇宙里正在发生什么？