Dr. Troy Allan is a Utah State University Extension Assistant Professor. He is also a researcher, writer, national speaker, and a dark-sky consultant who works with communities and organizations across the U.S. and internationally. His work explores awe, mental wellness, youth engagement, and the importance of protecting natural darkness for people, wildlife, and communities.
Dr. Allan and Sadie Wilde will share the story of Skyward, a Utah youth program bringing young people beneath some of the darkest skies in the world. Through stories, research, and experiences from the program, they will explore how encounters with the night sky can foster awe, connection, creativity, and well-being, and why communities like Bluff have an extraordinary opportunity to protect the darkness they still possess.