David J. Helfand

David Helfand, a Columbia University faculty member for 48 years, served for two decades as Chair of the Astronomy Department. While he has mentored 22 PhD students, most of his pedagogical efforts have been aimed at teaching science to non-science majors including creating the course Frontiers of Science, now required for all first-year students. In 2005, he joined an effort to create Canada's first independent, non-profit university, Quest University, where he served as President & Vice-Chancellor from 2008-2015.  He completed a four-year term as President of the American Astronomical Society and is currently Chair of the American Institute of Physics.