September 19, 2025

IALD Announces the Opening Keynote Speaker for EA25

Science educator and communicator Amy C. Oliver will serve as the opening keynote speaker for the IALD Enlighten Americas 2025 lighting design conference in Tucson, Arizona.

The opening keynote session will be held on the morning of 10 October, and is graciously sponsored by IALD LIRC member company ETC.

Amy C. Oliver

Oliver is the Director of Smithsonian STARS — Scientists Taking Astronomy to Rural Schools — a program under the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. She also holds the position of Public Affairs Officer and Science Center Manager at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory, and is a SkyNights Presenter at the University of Arizona's Mount Lemmon SkyCenter.

As the Principal scientific investigator on Dark SkyNet, a cross-border light pollution monitoring network, and Project GLOWworm, which uncovered unexpected glowworms at elevations above 8,000 feet in Southern Arizona, Oliver has made significant contributions to both education and scientific research. She earned her BA from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, MS from the University of Oklahoma, and holds DEI certification from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. In 2021, she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and currently serves as the Chair of the Tucson/Pima County Outdoor Lighting Code Committee.

During her recent TEDx Talks presentation titled "Glowing, Glowing, Gone: What We Lose When We Turn On the Lights," Oliver explored the commonalities between fireflies, astronomers, bumblebees, cacti, and nightclubs, emphasizing that they all thrive in darkness and that restoring our night skies is an achievable goal.

Industry professionals are advised not to miss this opportunity to learn from a leading voice in the timely Dark Sky conversation.

Registration for the IALD Enlighten Americas conference, which will run from 9 to 11 October in Tucson, Arizona, is available now at iald.org/ea25. Badges are limited, and the event may reach capacity, so timely action is recommended.