I am the lead author of the OpenStax Astronomy textbook, a free, on-line, open-source introductory text that has now been used by over 1100 adopters and half a million students. There is also an Open Education Resources Hub associated with the book, with 40 free resources provided by both the authors and adopters around the country.

I am a retired professor of astronomy. I still teach at several universities in the San Francisco Bay Area which have programs for retired people to come back to school for fun, noncredit programs. I was the California Professor of the Year in 2007. The International Astronomical Union named Asteroid 4859 Asteroid Fraknoi in recognition of my contributions to the public understanding of science.