Dr. José Francisco Salgado (josefrancisco) is an astronomer and science visualizer at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago. Formally trained in Physics (BS, Univ. of Puerto Rico) and Astronomy (PhD, Univ. of Michigan), he uses his skills in astronomy education and visual arts to create multimedia works that communicate science in engaging ways. His education and outreach efforts include Spanish-language programs, an Emmy-nominated astronomy TV news segment, and critically-acclaimed astronomy video suites created to accompany live performances of classical music concerts. These suites were featured in the opening ceremony of the International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009) at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris and are being shown around the world as part of IYA2009 festivities. By the end of 2009, the video suites will have been presented more than 50 times in 12 countries. Other highlights of this Planets and Pictures World Tour include collaborations with the Boston Pops and Buzz Aldrin (the second man to walk on the Moon), the San Francisco Symphony, the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestra e Coro del Teatro Regio di Torino.

Lately Salgado, an avid photographer, has been experimenting with high dynamic range imaging, time-lapse, infrared, and fisheye photography, as well as with stereoscopic photography and video to enhance his multimedia works. Through his work, Salgado seeks to create visually appealing images to provoke curiosity and a sense of wonder about the Earth and the Universe. His artwork, video suites, photographs, and illustrations have been published in magazines and science books, and shown in cities such as San Juan, Chicago, Victoria, Melbourne, Belgrade, Athens, Piestany (Slovakia), Paris, Madrid, Valencia, Taipei, Torino, and Prague. He is currently working on two new symphonic video suites, these ones being produced by his graphic arts company Vectors & Pixels Unlimited.