For many Philadelphians, Derrick Pitts is The Franklin Institute. Since 1978, Derrick has been teaching us to look up—and to wonder about what we see up there.

We all know that Derrick is an excellent “teacher.” What’s made him famous in Philadelphia is his ability to help everyone appreciate the universe as he sees it—not a watered-down sketch of the universe, but a rich, deep, complex version with human connections that everyone can understand at some level.

Derrick is currently the Chief Astronomer and Director of the Fels Planetarium at The Franklin Institute. He’s also been a NASA Solar System Ambassador since 2009 and serves as the “Astrobiology Ambassador” for the NASA/MIRS/UNCF Special Program Corporation’s Astrobiology Partnership Program. One of his newest honors is an appointment to the outreach advisory board for the world’s largest telescope, the new Thirty-Meter-Telescope at Mauna Kea in Hawaii.

For a self-described “ecology geek” like our all-natural Science Guy Mike Weilbacher, the chance to be the Executive Director of the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education (SCEE) —Northwest Philly’s 340-acre green treasure—is a dream realized.  Mike loves his post, creating new programming for the SCEE that will attract both children and adults to what he refers to as the “Mother Ship” of local nature centers.

Mike has been with Kids Corner since the start - he was our very first guest back in 1988! With his leadership, Kids Corner has been able to help kids become citizens that are capable of wrestling with the complicated environmental issues they’re going to get as adults. Plus, studies show that kids who grow up connected to nature are smarter, more emotionally grounded, calmer, more resilient; there’s just unbelievable benefits for children growing up with an immersion in nature. Join Mike every 2nd Thursday on Kids Corner.