Dr. Jason Best, Assistant Provost for Distance Education and Strategic Research Initiatives & Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics
On behalf of Shepherd University, I welcome you to the website of the Shepherd University Observatory. Our astronomical facility supports and enhances University education in the sciences, research opportunities for faculty and students, 
and outreach experiences for the public of all ages. We invite you to come to the Observatory and explore the wonders of the Universe! We hold Astronomy Open Houses during the Fall and Spring semesters where the public is welcome to peer at the night skies. For those unable to come to the campus, we share with the viewing public on this website some of the images obtained at the Observatory. We update the Images page as new pictures are obtained, so come back frequently to see new and exciting images.
Clear Skies!
About the Observatory Director
Dr. Jason Best is the university’s Assistant Provost for Distance Education and Strategic Research Initiatives. A Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Shepherd University, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in astronomy and astrophysics from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN, and his Doctor of Philosophy degree in astronomy and astrophysics from The Pennsylvania State University in University Park, PA. Dr. Best’s research publications and presentations are in fields as diverse as galactic evolution, the large-scale structure of the universe, virtual reality, and the evolution of Renaissance cosmology. In addition, he has been awarded many research grants from federal and state agencies, has been featured in the Chronicle of Higher Education’s Research section and in West Virginia Science and Research’s Neuron journal and Scientist Spotlight Video Series, and has served as a grant reviewer and research referee for numerous national and international journals and agencies. He is a member of the American Astronomical Society, Phi Kappa Phi, and Sigma Xi: the Scientific Research Society, and has served on the National Advisory Committee for the PRAXIS Earth and Space Sciences Examination and as President of the West Virginia Academy of Science. Dr. Best is also a member of the American Council on Education (ACE) Fellows Class of 2015-16.