Chris Impey

Academic Career

Chris Impey is a University Distinguished Professor of Astronomy at the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory and serves as Associate Co-Department Head. Over his career, he has accumulated 450+ peer-reviewed publications on observational cosmology, galaxies, quasars, and astronomy education research, supported by $20 million in NASA and NSF grants. He holds the distinction of eleven teaching awards, including recognition as an NSF Distinguished Teaching Scholar and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor, and served as Vice President of the American Astronomical Society.

Science Communication & Public Engagement

Impey is renowned for translating complex astronomy into accessible public discourse. His online courses have accumulated over 8 million minutes of viewership across four MOOCs with 420,000+ total enrollments. He has authored 10 popular science books, 2 university textbooks, 1 novel, and 120+ popular articles on cosmology and astrobiology. His recent book Worlds Without End: Exoplanets, Habitability, and the Future of Humanity (2024) won the prestigious 2025 Cosmos Prize, recognizing excellence in science communication.

Astrobiology & Extraterrestrial Life

Impey's core research interests include astrobiology, cosmology, and galactic astronomy. His popular science work frequently addresses the search for extraterrestrial life in the cosmos. The Living Cosmos: Our Search for Life in the Universe (2007) synthesizes astrobiology research and discusses SETI methodology using the Drake Equation to frame estimates of cosmic companionship. He co-edited Talking About Life: Conversations on Astrobiology (2010) with SETI Institute researchers Seth Shostak and Jill Tarter, and Encountering Life in the Universe: Ethical Foundations and Social Implications of Astrobiology (2013), establishing frameworks for responsible contact scenarios.

Position on UAP & Contact

Impey maintains a scientifically rigorous but intellectually open stance on the possibility of extraterrestrial contact. While skeptical of current UFO/UAP claims as evidence of alien visitation—noting that visual evidence is frequently misinterpreted and most sightings have mundane explanations—he emphasizes that evidence standards demand physical proof. Yet his optimism about extraterrestrial life is grounded in data: exoplanet discoveries now suggest approximately 10 billion potentially habitable worlds in the Milky Way Galaxy alone. Reflecting this duality, Impey serves on the advisory council of an international group strategizing how humanity should communicate with an extraterrestrial civilization should contact occur. He represents a mainstream academic voice bridging skeptical assessment of current UAP phenomena with openness to the broader question of life beyond Earth.