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Meet the Staff

Director Gary Krenz

The Detroit Observatory is managed by the Bentley Historical Library and is under the direction of Gary Krenz.

Gary joined the Bentley as director for post-bicentennial planning in 2018. He previously served as executive director of the U-M Bicentennial Office from 2013 to 2018. He was special counsel to the U-M president, acting as an advisor on presidential initiatives, planning, issue management, and policy development.

Assistant Director
Austin Edmister

Austin Edmister serves as assistant director for astronomy at the Detroit Observatory. Austin holds a BS in physics from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and an MS in astrophysics from Michigan State University. He has over a decade of experience using telescopes and planetariums to teach about the wonders of the night sky.

Events and Operations Assistant
Megi Mustafaj

Megi Mustafaj serves as the events and operations assistant at the Detroit Observatory. Megi holds a BS in English from Eastern Michigan University. Prior to her position at the Observatory, she served as festival coordinator for the Ann Arbor Film Festival where she managed all operations and events for a small arts non-profit.

Meet our student
docents and staff

Lailyn Borum

Docent

College of LSA, Astronomy and Astrophysics

Eva Chavez

Docent

College of LSA, Anthropology and Museum Studies

Timothy Fanning

Docent

College of LSA, Physics

Riley Fish

Docent

College of LSA, Astronomy and Astrophysics and Interdisciplinary Physics

Katya Gozman

Docent

Rackham Graduate School, Astronomy and Astrophysics

Sophia Grant

Docent

College of LSA, History and International Studies

Jane Heckendorn

Docent

College of LSA, History

Aidan Meador-Woodruff

Docent

College of LSA, Mathematics and Physics

Sanil Mittal

Docent

College of LSA, Astronomy and Astrophysics

Mackenzie Morgan

Docent

College of LSA, History

Olivia Mouradian

Communications Assistant

College of LSA, English, 2023

Bennett Walling

Docent

College of LSA, History, 2023

Xi Yuan Zheng

Docent

College of LSA, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

Lily Walbridge

Docent

College of LSA History, Medieval and Early Modern Studies

Ahmad Kadri

Docent

College of LSA, English & Astronomy and Astrophysics

Sam Hopper

Docent

College of LSA, Biochemistry and Interdisciplinary Astronomy

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