Dr. Jason Best, professor of astronomy and astrophysics and director of the Shepherd University Observatory, has been named president of the West Virginia Academy of Science (WVAS) for a two-year term beginning July 1. “I am humbled to have the opportunity to be able to work with so many people at numerous institutions who not only understand the value of science in their own lives, but are passionate about communicating that importance to broader audiences across West Virginia,” said Best.

The WVAS, which was founded in 1924 for the purposes of the advancement of scientific knowledge and the promotion of scientific work in West Virginia, oversees numerous activities at both the higher education and K-12 levels. Most recently, the WVAS held its first joint meeting with the West Virginia Science Technology and Research (STaR) Symposium in late April with featured keynote speakers Senator Jay Rockefeller, chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Dr. Subra Suresh, director of the National Science Foundation, and Dr. Paul Hill, chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.

Dr. Best has been a member of the Shepherd faculty since 1997.