Johnston, Andrew K(enneth) 1969–

PERSONAL: Born 1969. Education: George Washington University, B.A., 1991; University of Maryland, M.A., 1998.

ADDRESSES: Office—Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, Smithsonian Institution, P.O. Box 37012, National Air and Space Museum, MRC 315, Washington, DC 20013-7012. E-mail—johnstona@si.edu.

CAREER: Geographer. Franklin Institute Science Museum, Philadelphia, PA, science demonstration and event coordinator, 1985–91; Smithsonian Institution, National Air and Space Museum, Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, Washington, DC, geographer and research specialist, 1991–. Taught at National Museum of Kenya, Nairobi, 1995; George Washington University, Washington, DC, adjunct faculty member, 2005.

WRITINGS:

Earth from Space: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (nonfiction), Firefly Books (Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada), 2004.

Also contributor to periodicals, including the Journal of Geophysical Research, Muse, Bulletin of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, and New Mexico Geological Society Guidebook.

SIDELIGHTS: Andrew K. Johnston is a geologist who has worked primarily with remote sensing techniques to study geography and environmental change. In his book Earth from Space: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum he writes the text accompanying more than three hundred satellite photos of Earth taken after the mid-1990s, when a new generation of satellite technology proved more powerful and accurate enough to record the effects of human and natural forces on the planet. The photos and chapters are organized thematically, addressing areas such as cities, land vegetation, and islands. Because of advanced technology, the satellite photos are amazingly detailed, revealing everything from renowned landmarks to the colors of fall leaves and coral reefs, even the words written on signs.

Earth from Space includes maps, notes, and various commentaries. The author discusses how satellite imagery, also known as remote sensing, works. Satellite views of the rebuilding of Manhattan and the Pentagon after the September 11, 2001, attacks are also included. Writing in Booklist, Gilbert Taylor noted that "this gallery reflects the revolution in satellite reconnaissance," and he added that the book "emphasizes how humans have altered the earth's surface and atmosphere." Library Journal contributor Ian Gordon wrote that the book's "highly informative coverage of land surfaces, ecological features, landscapes, and urban images is exhaustive," and in a review for SciFan.com a contributor noted that Earth from Space "covers subjects ranging from aeronautics to history to ecology with unforgettable illustrations—an expansive big picture view of the world."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, December 1, 2004, Gilbert Taylor, review of Earth from Space: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, p. 629.

Library Journal, January 1, 2005, Ian Gordon, review of Earth from Space, p. 147.

Popular Science, January 1, 2005, Gregory Mone, review of Earth from Space, p. 91.

ONLINE

National Air and Space Museum Web site, http://www.nasm.si.edu/ (May 19, 2005), "Andrew K. Johnston."

SciFan.com, http://www.scifan.com/ (May 16, 2005), review of Earth from Space.