Stephen Strom has spent his professional career as an astronomer. Born in 1942 in New York
City, he graduated from Harvard College in 1962. In 1964 he received his Masters and Ph.D. in
Astronomy from Harvard University. From 1964-68 he held appointments as Lecturer in
Astronomy at Harvard and Astrophysicist at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. He
then moved to the State University of New York at Stony Brook and served for 4 years as
Coordinator of Astronomy and Astrophysics. In 1972 he accepted an appointment at the Kitt
Peak National Observatory in Tucson, AZ, where he served as Chair of the Galactic and
Extragalactic program. The following 15 years were spent at the University of Massachusetts in
Amherst, MA; from 1984-1997 he served as Chairman of the Five College Astronomy
Department. In 1998 Strom returned to Tucson as a member of the scientific staff at the National
Optical Astronomy Observatory where he carries out research directed at understanding the
formation of stars and planetary systems, and serves as Associate Director for Science and
Project Scientist for the Giant Segmented Mirror Telescope Project.
Stephen began photographing the landscape in 1978. He studied both the history of photography and silver and non-silver photography in studio courses with Todd Walker at the University of Arizona. His work has been exhibited widely throughout the United States and is held in several permanent collections. He collaborated with the Muscogee poet, Joy Harjo on, Secrets from the Center of the World. A new book, Sonoita Plain: Views from a Southwestern Grassland, was published in February, 2005 by the University of Arizona Press, co-authored with Jane and Carl Bock. Tséyi' / Deep in the Rock: Reflections on Canyon de Chelly, co-authored with Laura Tohe, followed in November of 2005. A portfolio of 20 images, Lightforms/Earthforms, is available. Individual images from the Canyon de Chelly, Agave and Secrets series are also available.
Stephen's photography resumé is available.
