Shepherd University Professor Appointed To State Science Council

Jason Best, a professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Shepherd University since 1997, has been appointed to the West Virginia Science and Research Council.

The council is part of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and helps to attract research funds and infrastructure towards the state’s scientific institutions.

“I was both honored and humbled that the work I’ve been doing in the sciences over the past 25 years was recognized as such that it was considered valuable,” Best said. “To be able to bring my voice as a representative, not only of Shepherd University, but of the work that we’ve been doing across the (Eastern) Panhandle, I think is a high honor.”

Much of Best’s research at Shepherd involves the structure of the universe, galaxy evolution, and the history of astronomy. His appointment to the council will allow him to create more opportunities for research and promote science education in West Virginia.

“The council’s mission is significant because discovery has no roadmap,” Best said. “To be able to support those who are engaging with these ideas benefits all of us. It benefits the state, benefits the country, benefits the world.”

Best’s work as a professor involves overseeing the school’s observatory and teaching astronomy, physics, and physical science. He is also the university’s Assistant Provost for Institutional Effectiveness and Academic Strategic Partnerships.

His appointment to the council is for a four-year term.