MAPS 2024 Board of Directors Elections

As a member of the Middle Atlantic Planetarium Society,

YOU have the privilege to vote for colleagues who will serve as your representatives on the MAPS Board. This year we have many wonderful candidates to choose from that will take three seats that are available.

MAPS members, check your inbox in January for your online voting invitation. All votes must be submitted by January 31, 2022. We thank you for your participation in this election and in MAPS overall.

Review the candidates’ statements in the table below.

Candidate	Candidate Statement
James Bader – Strasenburgh Planetarium Director (Rochester, NY)	I am honored to have been nominated to the Board of Directors of the Middle Atlantic Planetarium Society! While I know many of the MAPS members and have worked with you over the years, I am excited to now officially be a part of the region. For many of you who have not had the opportunity to get to know me, my name is Jim Bader and I am originally from North Texas and the SWAP region. As of October 31, 2023 I am now the director of the Strasenburgh Planetarium in Rochester, NY. While I may be new to the region I am thrilled to be a part of MAPS and to have the opportunity to serve as one of your MAPS Directors. I am a staunch proponent of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and would bring a continuation of these outlooks to the role. Having an inclusive and supportive professional organization like MAPS is key to keep the planetarium community thriving and growing. I have spent the last decade working in a handful of different domes, and the last 7 years running university planetariums at the University of North Texas and the University of Texas at Arlington. These experiences, as well as those from my current dome have given me a well rounded perspective from working with diverse groups of people and have cultivated my passion for inclusive organizations. Lastly, I would be extremely grateful to be given the opportunity to serve as MAPS Director and I would continue the wonderful work that so many of our colleagues have pursued in the past. The value of organizations like MAPS lie in the supportive and inclusive nature that encourages cooperation and advocates for the members’ professional and personal growth. These are the values I would bring to any committees I had the chance to serve on. Thank you for the opportunity to be a candidate for the position.
James Bauman – North Penn Planetarium Director (Lansdale, PA)	Hello! My name is James Bauman, the Planetarium Director for the North Penn Planetarium at the North Penn High School in Lansdale, Pennsylvania and I am honored to be nominated for the position of MAPS Director. I have been a high school and middle school Physics teacher for almost 27 years, but it wasn’t until 2011 that I fell in love with the planetarium. The planetarium director at the time left and the position opened up to the district. I took a chance and never looked back. I was so new to the planetarium at the time, that it took me almost an entire day to realize that one of the control panels on the Spitz 1024 console was completely missing! Once I figured things out, I instantly fell in love with the planetarium position and spent the next twelve years learning what it meant to be a planetarian. My first MAPS conference was in the summer of 2012 and it was there that I was introduced to the planetarium world. The people I met back in 2012 helped me get started on my journey in the planetarium. While I wasn’t able to attend another MAPS conference during those first few years, I was able to stay in touch with many great individuals who were able to give me guidance and advice. Then in 2022 our planetarium went through a renovation and installed a SSIA Dark Matter system. Once again my world was turned upside down with the new system, but once again I was able to turn to the wonderful individuals in MAPS for guidance and advice. It is because of the help that I have received over the years that has led me to desire to hold a leadership role in the MAPS organization. My journey would have been much different without the great people in the MAPS community and I hope that by being a Director of the organization I can begin to help others as I was helped in the past.
Stephen Dubois – Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium (Buffalo, NY)	Greetings, esteemed colleagues and MAPS Members. As most of you know I had served in the past as your Secretary on the Executive Board for three terms and hope to earn your vote to return with the organization in the capacity of Board Member for the upcoming term. I bring with me more than 30 years of experience as a planetarian both at the Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium in Buffalo, NY as well as the Williamsville Space Lab Planetarium in Williamsville, NY. Throughout my years I have used both opto-mechanical and digital equipment as well as many outreach opportunities teaching under the authentic sky at local summer camps for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. An advocate of both new technology and traditional educational values, I believe that, first and foremost, a planetarium should replicate the experience of viewing the night sky under perfect conditions. In other words, the stars should always be central focus of any planetarium and that enriching the lives of the visitors, through deepened understanding of the skies above, is of key importance. My background is somewhat unique. I have been around my hometown Planetarium for my entire life. When the Buffalo State College Planetarium opened in 1964, my father Robert, a physics professor, was asked to be co-administrator of the new facility. Two years later, the late Dr. James Orgren replaced my father and accepted the newly created position of full-time Director. During the many times when I would travel with my father to campus, a visit under the dome with “Dr. O”. was always a highlight. As a young teenager, I began to learn the night sky and, after the summer of 1983, I set my goals on seriously studying astronomy. It was inevitable that I would again cross paths with the rebuilt and renamed Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium when I began my first semester of college at Buffalo State in 1986. I joined the Astronomy Club and held many key positions throughout my college years including Vice President and President. In 1987, I was formally trained as an operator/educator and I have been working at the planetarium off and on ever since. Being in a small university dome, I’ve had to wear many hats over the years. I have created curriculum, authored and directed several multi-media presentations while also working as production designer and illustrator. My greatest passion associated with this field, though, is music/soundtrack scoring and I have served as music director on most every show with which I have been involved. I have also composed original music for 8 planetarium and/or fulldome productions (both locally and abroad,) two independent films and always welcome the challenges associated with bringing diverse space science topics to life sonically. In the mid 1990’s, Paul Krupinksi created a planetarium show production company called Ancient Eyes Productions and I worked with Paul on a major release that was distributed all over North America which I co-wrote, co-illustrated and scored called Mister Frost and the Skies of Winter. Paul and I continued working with creating and introducing a line of educational items for gift shops (such as astronomer pencils & erasers and our best-selling “Moonphaser” pencils.) All of these diverse experiences have made me an extremely well-rounded candidate because I have worked within many facets of this field. For the last 11 years, I have co-chaired the MAPS subcommittee for our grant program with Kristen Chon and Sue Button. We evaluate the grant submissions and decide upon the level of funding to offer. To me being on the Executive Board is an opportunity to be a part of something where I can make a difference. Believe me, if any of you have ever spoken to me during the conferences and voiced praise, concerns, constructive criticism or provided ideas to improve the organization, that I have always communicated such feedback to the Board. Most importantly, is that I see MAPS as a community. I have enjoyed learning from you in your talks and presentations, conversing with you at banquets, meeting with our ever-supportive vendors and also sharing with all of you over these past years (while both on and off the Executive board) my presentations such as “Are We Obsolete?”, “Props in the Dark”, “How Correct are You?” and “Scoring for Science.” I hope that you will elect me so that I may resume my involvement with MAPS: an organization which I care about so deeply. I, as well as all of the Board, believe in working as a team to make MAPS the very best it can be. I feel that I have a lot more to give to this team and hope you will feel the same way. I will represent well the mission statement of the Middle Atlantic Planetarium Society and you, the membership. Thank you in advance for your continued support!
Paul J. Krupinski – Mr. K’s Mobile Dome Director / Strasenburgh Planetarium (Buffalo, NY / Rochester, NY)	Greetings fellow friends and colleagues of the Middle Atlantic Planetarium Society! I am appreciative, once again, for a nomination to the Board of Directors of the MAPS Executive Committee for the upcoming election in January 2024. As an incumbent, I’ve had the opportunity to work with the Executive Committee since 2010 and it has been my pleasure and a true blessing. Our Board is always striving to serve and benefit YOU our valued membership. For those who are new to the MAPS community, I’m Paul Joseph Krupinski from Cheektowaga, New York — a suburb of the Nickel City and City of Good Neighbors, Buffalo. Fun fact: The Buffalo nickel or otherwise known as the Indian Head nickel was a copper-nickel five-cent coin by the United States Mint from 1913-1938 with an image of a bison on the reserve side of which the city is named! In the planetarium world, I am the proud owner of Mr. K.’s Mobile Dome Planetarium (for over 30 years), presenter at the world renowned Strasenburgh Planetarium of the Rochester Museum & Science Center (for 28 years) and planetarium teacher at the Maryvale UFSD Planetarium in my hometown in Cheektowaga, NY, since 2015. I’m also the co-founder of the Challenger Learning Center of Lockport. I attended my first planetarium conference in Wheeling, WV in 1990 and have been a member of MAPS for 33 years. I’ve been fortunate to meet so many amazing people in the field, spend precious time at conferences with life-long friends, share some terrific ideas, as well as collaborate with the finest Planetarians this business has to offer. I’ve served MAPS as your President Elect, President, and Past President from 2000-2006, which was truly an outstanding and rewarding experience for me. I’ve worked with a small group of MAPS members in a Focus Group, as recommended by the Strategic Planning Committee (SPC), to analyze areas of the Society that the Executive Committee can improve as a whole. I’ve been a member of the aforementioned SPC for years and I’ve collaborated on the MAPS Executive Committee Calendar and Procedures, Conference Guidelines and Vendor Policy, as well as the MAPS Executive Handbook, which includes its recent 2023 update. In addition, I’m currently the Chairperson of the Audit and Memorial Committees, as well as a member of the Website Committee. Finally, as many of you know, time doesn’t always allow the Executive Committee to complete the task or tasks at hand, which ultimately improves our organization. Many ideas to improve value and benefits to membership are indeed work-in-progress and need time to be brought to fruition! Therefore, I’d like the opportunity, once again, to continue with the Executive Committee to complete unfinished business, while cultivating new innovative ideas, which ultimately provides our Middle Atlantic Planetarium Society an even brighter future going forward. Thank you for the opportunity! Sincerely, Paul J. Krupinski
Patty Seaton – Howard B. Owens Science Center Planetarium Director (Lanham, MD)	Hello, MAPS colleagues! Okay, so maybe I could have chosen a better picture of me for this election bid. Perhaps a professional head shot? Yet this photo represents why I want to continue on as a MAPS Board Member… after over ten years of dreaming and advocating for it, my theater is finally being renovated with an AMAZING hybrid system that pairs this gorgeous GOTO Orpheus starball with Digistar7. I will now have capabilities that far exceed my abilities, with a WONDERFUL opportunity to learn. So, what does this mean for YOU? It means that I finally get to work in BOTH worlds of optical and digital. As my personal experience in these worlds expands, so does my ability to better serve you, To better realize the direction that planetariums are taking, after 100 years. To expand my planetarium’s partnerships, and to share all of this with all of you. Our field is evolving, yet the fundamental joy of bringing the majesty of the stars to audiences everywhere remains. I bring you 30 years of planetarium teaching in a 55’ dome with 160+ seats, serving the students of my district, as well as the public. I bring you several years experience working part time in the National Air and Space Museum’s Einstein Planetarium, using both their Zeiss and Digital Sky. And now, I am assisting one of my district’s elementary schools with their recently purchased Digitalis portable planetarium. I bring you institutional knowledge while jumping headfirst into the most modern planetarium technologies. Let’s work together to shape the organization to best suit the needs of this evolving field, with the diversity of people, planetarium systems, and missions. Let’s figure out how to strengthen our partnerships with each other, sharing ideas and resources beyond the conferences. I have served on the Strategic Planning Committee, helping to explore these ideas, working closely with the Executive Board to implement them. I would be honored to continue on in the capacity of Executive Board Member. Planetarium Patty, at your service!!

Candidate

Candidate Statement

James Bader – Strasenburgh Planetarium Director (Rochester, NY)

I am honored to have been nominated to the Board of Directors of the Middle Atlantic Planetarium Society!

While I know many of the MAPS members and have worked with you over the years, I am excited to now officially be a part of the region. For many of you who have not had the opportunity to get to know me, my name is Jim Bader and I am originally from North Texas and the SWAP region. As of October 31, 2023 I am now the director of the Strasenburgh Planetarium in Rochester, NY. While I may be new to the region I am thrilled to be a part of MAPS and to have the opportunity to serve as one of your MAPS Directors. I am a staunch proponent of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and would bring a continuation of these outlooks to the role. Having an inclusive and supportive professional organization like MAPS is key to keep the planetarium community thriving and growing.

I have spent the last decade working in a handful of different domes, and the last 7 years running university planetariums at the University of North Texas and the University of Texas at Arlington. These experiences, as well as those from my current dome have given me a well rounded perspective from working with diverse groups of people and have cultivated my passion for inclusive organizations.

Lastly, I would be extremely grateful to be given the opportunity to serve as MAPS Director and I would continue the wonderful work that so many of our colleagues have pursued in the past. The value of organizations like MAPS lie in the supportive and inclusive nature that encourages cooperation and advocates for the members’ professional and personal growth. These are the values I would bring to any committees I had the chance to serve on. Thank you for the opportunity to be a candidate for the position.

James Bauman – North Penn Planetarium Director (Lansdale, PA)

Hello! My name is James Bauman, the Planetarium Director for the North Penn Planetarium at the North Penn High School in Lansdale, Pennsylvania and I am honored to be nominated for the position of MAPS Director.

I have been a high school and middle school Physics teacher for almost 27 years, but it wasn’t until 2011 that I fell in love with the planetarium. The planetarium director at the time left and the position opened up to the district. I took a chance and never looked back. I was so new to the planetarium at the time, that it took me almost an entire day to realize that one of the control panels on the Spitz 1024 console was completely missing! Once I figured things out, I instantly fell in love with the planetarium position and spent the next twelve years learning what it meant to be a planetarian.

My first MAPS conference was in the summer of 2012 and it was there that I was introduced to the planetarium world. The people I met back in 2012 helped me get started on my journey in the planetarium. While I wasn’t able to attend another MAPS conference during those first few years, I was able to stay in touch with many great individuals who were able to give me guidance and advice. Then in 2022 our planetarium went through a renovation and installed a SSIA Dark Matter system. Once again my world was turned upside down with the new system, but once again I was able to turn to the wonderful individuals in MAPS for guidance and advice.

It is because of the help that I have received over the years that has led me to desire to hold a leadership role in the MAPS organization. My journey would have been much different without the great people in the MAPS community and I hope that by being a Director of the organization I can begin to help others as I was helped in the past.

Stephen Dubois – Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium (Buffalo, NY)

Greetings, esteemed colleagues and MAPS Members. As most of you know I had served in the past as your Secretary on the Executive Board for three terms and hope to earn your vote to return with the organization in the capacity of Board Member for the upcoming term. I bring with me more than 30 years of experience as a planetarian both at the Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium in Buffalo, NY as well as the Williamsville Space Lab Planetarium in Williamsville, NY. Throughout my years I have used both opto-mechanical and digital equipment as well as many outreach opportunities teaching under the authentic sky at local summer camps for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. An advocate of both new technology and traditional educational values, I believe that, first and foremost, a planetarium should replicate the experience of viewing the night sky under perfect conditions. In other words, the stars should always be central focus of any planetarium and that enriching the lives of the visitors, through deepened understanding of the skies above, is of key importance.

My background is somewhat unique. I have been around my hometown Planetarium for my entire life. When the Buffalo State College Planetarium opened in 1964, my father Robert, a physics professor, was asked to be co-administrator of the new facility. Two years later, the late Dr. James Orgren replaced my father and accepted the newly created position of full-time Director. During the many times when I would travel with my father to campus, a visit under the dome with “Dr. O”. was always a highlight. As a young teenager, I began to learn the night sky and, after the summer of 1983, I set my goals on seriously studying astronomy. It was inevitable that I would again cross paths with the rebuilt and renamed Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium when I began my first semester of college at Buffalo State in 1986. I joined the Astronomy Club and held many key positions throughout my college years including Vice President and President. In 1987, I was formally trained as an operator/educator and I have been working at the planetarium off and on ever since. Being in a small university dome, I’ve had to wear many hats over the years. I have created curriculum, authored and directed several multi-media presentations while also working as production designer and illustrator. My greatest passion associated with this field, though, is music/soundtrack scoring and I have served as music director on most every show with which I have been involved. I have also composed original music for 8 planetarium and/or fulldome productions (both locally and abroad,) two independent films and always welcome the challenges associated with bringing diverse space science topics to life sonically. In the mid 1990’s, Paul Krupinksi created a planetarium show production company called Ancient Eyes Productions and I worked with Paul on a major release that was distributed all over North America which I co-wrote, co-illustrated and scored called Mister Frost and the Skies of Winter. Paul and I continued working with creating and introducing a line of educational items for gift shops (such as astronomer pencils & erasers and our best-selling “Moonphaser” pencils.) All of these diverse experiences have made me an extremely well-rounded candidate because I have worked within many facets of this field.

For the last 11 years, I have co-chaired the MAPS subcommittee for our grant program with Kristen Chon and Sue Button. We evaluate the grant submissions and decide upon the level of funding to offer.

To me being on the Executive Board is an opportunity to be a part of something where I can make a difference. Believe me, if any of you have ever spoken to me during the conferences and voiced praise, concerns, constructive criticism or provided ideas to improve the organization, that I have always communicated such feedback to the Board. Most importantly, is that I see MAPS as a community. I have enjoyed learning from you in your talks and presentations, conversing with you at banquets, meeting with our ever-supportive vendors and also sharing with all of you over these past years (while both on and off the Executive board) my presentations such as “Are We Obsolete?”, “Props in the Dark”, “How Correct are You?” and “Scoring for Science.” I hope that you will elect me so that I may resume my involvement with MAPS: an organization which I care about so deeply. I, as well as all of the Board, believe in working as a team to make MAPS the very best it can be. I feel that I have a lot more to give to this team and hope you will feel the same way. I will represent well the mission statement of the Middle Atlantic Planetarium Society and you, the membership. Thank you in advance for your continued support!

Paul J. Krupinski – Mr. K’s Mobile Dome Director / Strasenburgh Planetarium (Buffalo, NY / Rochester, NY)

Greetings fellow friends and colleagues of the Middle Atlantic Planetarium Society! I am appreciative, once again, for a nomination to the Board of Directors of the MAPS Executive Committee for the upcoming election in January 2024. As an incumbent, I’ve had the opportunity to work with the Executive Committee since 2010 and it has been my pleasure and a true blessing. Our Board is always striving to serve and benefit YOU our valued membership.

For those who are new to the MAPS community, I’m Paul Joseph Krupinski from Cheektowaga, New York — a suburb of the Nickel City and City of Good Neighbors, Buffalo. Fun fact: The Buffalo nickel or otherwise known as the Indian Head nickel was a copper-nickel five-cent coin by the United States Mint from 1913-1938 with an image of a bison on the reserve side of which the city is named!

In the planetarium world, I am the proud owner of Mr. K.’s Mobile Dome Planetarium (for over 30 years), presenter at the world renowned Strasenburgh Planetarium of the Rochester Museum & Science Center (for 28 years) and planetarium teacher at the Maryvale UFSD Planetarium in my hometown in Cheektowaga, NY, since 2015. I’m also the co-founder of the Challenger Learning Center of Lockport.

I attended my first planetarium conference in Wheeling, WV in 1990 and have been a member of MAPS for 33 years. I’ve been fortunate to meet so many amazing people in the field, spend precious time at conferences with life-long friends, share some terrific ideas, as well as collaborate with the finest Planetarians this business has to offer.

I’ve served MAPS as your President Elect, President, and Past President from 2000-2006, which was truly an outstanding and rewarding experience for me. I’ve worked with a small group of MAPS members in a Focus Group, as recommended by the Strategic Planning Committee (SPC), to analyze areas of the Society that the Executive Committee can improve as a whole. I’ve been a member of the aforementioned SPC for years and I’ve collaborated on the MAPS Executive Committee Calendar and Procedures, Conference Guidelines and Vendor Policy, as well as the MAPS Executive Handbook, which includes its recent 2023 update. In addition, I’m currently the Chairperson of the Audit and Memorial Committees, as well as a member of the Website Committee.

Finally, as many of you know, time doesn’t always allow the Executive Committee to complete the task or tasks at hand, which ultimately improves our organization. Many ideas to improve value and benefits to membership are indeed work-in-progress and need time to be brought to fruition! Therefore, I’d like the opportunity, once again, to continue with the Executive Committee to complete unfinished business, while cultivating new innovative ideas, which ultimately provides our Middle Atlantic Planetarium Society an even brighter future going forward. Thank you for the opportunity!

Sincerely,

Paul J. Krupinski

Patty Seaton – Howard B. Owens Science Center Planetarium Director (Lanham, MD)

Hello, MAPS colleagues!

Okay, so maybe I could have chosen a better picture of me for this election bid. Perhaps a professional head shot? Yet this photo represents why I want to continue on as a MAPS Board Member… after over ten years of dreaming and advocating for it, my theater is finally being renovated with an AMAZING hybrid system that pairs this gorgeous GOTO Orpheus starball with Digistar7. I will now have capabilities that far exceed my abilities, with a WONDERFUL opportunity to learn. So, what does this mean for YOU? It means that I finally get to work in BOTH worlds of optical and digital. As my personal experience in these worlds expands, so does my ability to better serve you, To better realize the direction that planetariums are taking, after 100 years. To expand my planetarium’s partnerships, and to share all of this with all of you.

Our field is evolving, yet the fundamental joy of bringing the majesty of the stars to audiences everywhere remains. I bring you 30 years of planetarium teaching in a 55’ dome with 160+ seats, serving the students of my district, as well as the public. I bring you several years experience working part time in the National Air and Space Museum’s Einstein Planetarium, using both their Zeiss and Digital Sky. And now, I am assisting one of my district’s elementary schools with their recently purchased Digitalis portable planetarium. I bring you institutional knowledge while jumping headfirst into the most modern planetarium technologies.

Let’s work together to shape the organization to best suit the needs of this evolving field, with the diversity of people, planetarium systems, and missions. Let’s figure out how to strengthen our partnerships with each other, sharing ideas and resources beyond the conferences. I have served on the Strategic Planning Committee, helping to explore these ideas, working closely with the Executive Board to implement them. I would be honored to continue on in the capacity of Executive Board Member. Planetarium Patty, at your service!!