Richard H. Emmons Award
For excellence in college astronomy teaching
Added to our list of honors in 2006, the Richard H. Emmons Award was inspired by a very generous gift from Jeanne and Allan Bishop, in honor of her father, Richard Emmons. Dr. Jeanne Bishop, a well-known astronomy educator in her own right, wished to honor her father, an astronomer with a lifelong dedication to astronomy education, by creating an award that recognizes and celebrates outstanding achievement in the teaching of college-level introductory astronomy for non-science majors.
Michael A. Reid to receive the 2026 Richard H. Emmons Award from the Astronomical Society of the Pacific for excellence in college astronomy teaching.
Daly City, California - September 3, 2026 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific’s Richard H. Emmons Award — established by Jeanne & Allan Bishop to honor Ms. Bishop’s father, Richard Emmons, an astronomer with a lifelong dedication to astronomy education — is awarded annually to an individual demonstrating outstanding achievement in the teaching of college-level introductory astronomy for non-science majors. The 2026 recipient is Prof. Michael A. Reid, Associate Professor, Dunlap Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto for his innovative, engaging, and inclusive teaching methods.
Prof. Reid obtained his PhD in Physics from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, and kicked off his post doctorate years with a 2-year fellowship at the Submillimeter Array, one of the flagship observatories of the Center for Astrophysics through Harvard & Smithsonian. He started his teaching career as Associate Professor at McMaster University and since 2009 has reshaped the curricula at the University of Toronto. His approach of less lecturing and more engagement has led to a method, as one fellow nominator said “to not just convey astronomical facts, but to use astronomy as a tool to teach students how the scientific process works and how one can draw scientific conclusions from data. His view was that these are vital skills for all students, no matter their background.” This approach led Reid to create some of the most innovative and popular courses for non-science students at the college level and develop inclusive outreach programs.
One of his early courses allowed non-science major students to write a proposal for a project of their choosing and with the aid of robotic telescopes and other tools the experience led students to want more! One nominator shares these comments from other students: “Seriously one of the best and stimulating courses I have ever taken”; “I personally thank the Department of Astronomy for offering this course”; and “I don’t really know how you could improve upon this amazing course”. Following this success, students requested more courses for non-science majors. Reid continued his innovative process and developed a novel and impactful set of classes that is soon to be an astronomy minor for non-science students. A series of courses included different methods of observation that worked together to demonstrate the many claims astronomers make about the universe. Reid created labs that used astronomical data from telescopes, CCD detectors, and spectrographs. Another lab experience for non-science majors had students use a famous plot from Edwin Hubble and their own measurements to determine the expansion rate of the universe.
Reid is praised not just for his innovative courses but his pedagogy emphasizing scientific inquiry, critical thinking and evidence-based reasoning. One nominator expresses how “Mike is an exceptional teacher in the most fundamental sense: his teaching consistently creates learning environments that are engaging, inclusive, intellectually rigorous, deeply motivating and fun.”
His approach extends beyond the classroom to share his passion with the public. Some of his outreach programs included partnerships with the Toronto Public Library, numerous schools and seniors’ groups, and the Vision of Sciences organization servicing Indigenous, Black, and other underserved students. These outreach efforts included mentoring underserved youth, operating a planetarium, creating a science festival, and distributing thousands of eclipse glasses.
Reid’s numerous achievements demonstrate his leadership skills throughout his community and around the world. He built an observatory for the university at the E. C. Carr Astronomical Observatory, which is operated by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. During the pandemic he pivoted and led the university team of educators from in-person to online teaching. When AI came along, he created a teacher’s handbook based on his own experiences. Internationally, he hosted and organized the AstroEdu 2023 conference, sponsored by the International Astronomical Union. One nominator shares that “Mike is especially proud to have co-founded (with an African colleague) the West African International Summer School for Young Astronomers, which has brought modern astronomical content and modern teaching methods to students in this part of the world.”
Please contact the Awards team if you have questions about the nomination process
