December 8, 2025 – The global science outreach organization Astronomy on Tap (AoT) is expanding its operational footprint this week with the launch of a new chapter in Lubbock, Texas, and the reactivation of its San Francisco branch, coinciding with a series of simultaneous international events.
As the organization’s startup in Lubbock and revival of its San Francisco chapter this week to hunt for dark matter, they are proving that some of the universe’s most complex mysteries—like axions and galactic rotation curves—go down much smoother with a cold one.”
The decentralized network, which facilitates professional astronomers presenting research in informal public venues, has scheduled multiple technical sessions between December 8 and December 10, 2025. These events highlight a continued demand for direct public engagement with complex astrophysical topics, ranging from dark matter detection to exoplanet habitability.
Operational Updates and Schedule
According to the organization’s verified schedule, the following milestones are confirmed for this week:
- December 8 (Groningen, Netherlands): The Groningen chapter is hosting a technical session on exoplanets featuring guest speaker Mara, alongside a review of recent astronomical news.
- December 9 (San Francisco, California): The San Francisco chapter will officially revive its operations following a hiatus. Organized by Asa Stahl of The Planetary Society, the event at Black Hammer Brewing will feature Orion Ning, a Ph.D. student at UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, presenting “From Astrophysics to Axions: The Glorious Hunt for Dark Matter”.
- December 9 (Nashville, Tennessee): The Nashville chapter is relocating to Fait La Force Brewing for a session titled “Valar & Vitality.” Speakers include Harrison Blake-Goszyk and Dr. Rithya Kunnawalkam Elayavalli, who will present on planetary habitability and cosmology.
- December 10 (Lubbock, Texas): AoT will launch its newest chapter, “Astronomy on Tap Lubbock,” with a focus on “The Deep Dark Skies of West Texas”.
Program Context & Mission
Founded in New York City in 2013, Astronomy on Tap has grown into a worldwide constellation of satellite chapters. The program’s model relies on graduate students, postdocs, and professional researchers from institutions such as NASA, Stanford, and regional universities to translate high-level data into accessible public lectures.
Unlike traditional academic conferences, AoT events are structured to remove barriers to entry for scientific literacy, utilizing public venues to foster direct dialogue between researchers and the general public. The network has previously adapted to global disruptions, including a shift to virtual “remote” sessions during the 2020–2021 pandemic, before returning to primarily in-person operations.
Upcoming Topics
The technical breadth of this week’s sessions reflects the diverse research interests of the participating institutions:
- Salt Lake City (Dec. 9): Simon Filbert will discuss the intersection of cosmic horizons and quantum mechanics, followed by Dr. Rachel McClure on stellar physics.
- Kitchener-Waterloo (Dec. 10): The Canadian chapter will hold its regular December session, continuing the network’s international engagement.
The organization continues to solicit new chapter formations and volunteer speakers from the professional astronomical community to sustain its growth.