Osborn, Wayne H.

Osborn was born in Los Angeles (Calif.) on Oct. 8, 1942. He earned an A. B. in Astronomy from the University of California-Berkeley (1964), a M.A. in Astronomy from Wesleyan University (1967), and a Ph. D. in Astronomy from Yale University (1971). In Aug. 1976 he was hired as an assistant professor in the Physics Dept. at CMU. Osborn was promoted to Associate Professor in Aug. 1978 and to full Professor in Aug. 1985. Twice he has served as chair of his dept. Also, Osborn served as Chair of CMU's Academic Senate, 2001-2003. In 1993, Osborn developed an agreement with NURO to bring CMU students there to conduct astronomical observations. While at CMU he has had a number of sabbatical leaves, including one at the Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff (Ariz.), and another in France. Beginning in July 2006 (to present) Osborn became the Vice Provost for Research in CMU's Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, where his work focuses on managing CMU's external grants and contracts and internal funding programs. A member of numerous professional and academic organizations, Osborn has received seven major research grants as well as a number of smaller, internal grants. A respected researcher, author, and teacher, Osborn has received a number of important awards for his teaching ability. He has published many important articles, notes, abstracts, and book reviews. His research interests in observational astronomy include photometry of variable stars and other objects in stellar clusters and astrometry and of asteroids, as well as astrometry projects with the Hubble Space Telescope, and the description of a meteorite recovery in Coleman (Mich.). Some of his research has been conducted with the CMU's on-campus telescope, at NURO, and at international observatory sites. Osborn worked with Claria at the Venezuelan National Observatory, 1973-1976. Claria later became the Director of the National Astronomical Observatory in Cordoba, Argentina. Osborn retired from CMU in 2007.