Alex Griswold – Biographical Sketch

Executive Producer, Science Media Group                                                      Office (617) 495-7355

Science Education Department                                                                                          Fax: (617) 496-7670

Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics                                                      Email:agriswold[at]cfa.harvard.edu

60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

a) Professional Preparation

Harvard College

Visual and Environmental Studies

AB, 1976

 

b) Appointments

1994 – Present: Executive Producer, Science Media Group,

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

1991 – 1994: Science Producer/Technical Designer, Science Media Group,

Harvard College Observatory

1988 – 2000: Instructor, Boston Film/Video Foundation, Inc.

1978 – 1992: Independent television producer and engineer

1978 – 1979: Director, Film Makers’ Workshop, Watertown (MA) Free Public Library

1976 – 1979: Teaching Assistant, Harvard University (VES)

c) Publications

Schneps, M.H.,D. Schrag, A. Griswold, (2007), “The habitable planet: A systems approach to environmental science,” Multimedia web-based course: Annenberg Media Collections, Washington, D.C. (in development)

R. Gould, C. Grainger, R., A. Griswold, Schneps, M.H., et al, (2006), “Expanding the universe in the classroom,” Interactive DVD: NASA “UniverseForum,” Cambridge, MA. http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/seuforum/

Sadler, P., M.H. Schneps, A. Griswold, et al. (2005), “Factors Influencing College Science Success (FICSS),” Video-based interactive training workshop. http://www.ficss.org

Schneps, M.H.,  A. Griswold, et al. (2005), “Essential science for teachers,” Multimedia web-based course: Annenberg/CPB Collections, Washington, D.C. http://www.learner.org/resources/series195.html

Schneps, M.H., A. Griswold, C. Maher, (2000), “Private universe in mathematics: Problems and possibilities,” Video series: Annenberg Media Collections, Washington, D.C. http://www.learner.org/resources/series120.html

d)Synergistic Activities

Mr. Griswold’s career in film and television spans more than 30 years. Trained as a documentary film and television producer, his independent work has been awarded numerous national prizes and has been shown widely in festivals and on television. His independent film, “LA FIEBRE DE IRSE”  (1985), a documentary in Spanish about the two-way migration of an extended Puerto Rican family, was distributed nationally on PBS, HITN, and throughout Latin America. 

During the 1980’s and early 1990’s, Griswold contributed to numerous independent film and television projects through specialized work as a location audio engineer and cameraman for films, television, radio, interactive media, and CD music recordings. Credits included the PBS series Nova ("Supernova 1987", "Hole in the Sky", "The Making of a Doctor"), Frontline ("Visions of Star Wars"), The American Experience ("Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss"); Ken Burn's "The Civil War"; all major commercial TV networks; and 35mm theatrical feature films, including “Mississippi Masala,” starring Denzel Washington.

In 1987, Griswold participated in the taping of A PRIVATE UNIVERSE (the widely-shown 18-minute video that depicts Harvard graduates grappling with misconceptions about the seasons and the phases of the Moon), beginning his involvement with Dr. Matthew H. Schneps and the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA). Since then, he has been deeply involved in the growth and development of the CfA’s Science Media Group (SMG) and has participated in the production of all the major programming created at the SMG, including the public television series, “MINDS OF OUR OWN.” Since 2003, he has been  Executive Producer of all the professional development courses and programs that have been created at the SMG, including: “SCIENCE IN FOCUS: ENERGY,” “ESSENTIAL SCIENCE FOR TEACHERS,” “FICSS,” “EXPANDING THE UNIVERSE IN THE CLASSROOM,” and “THE HABITABLE PLANET: A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE.” Currently, Griswold manages the SMG’s production unit, with a staff of 10 FTE including producers, editors, multimedia designers, and animators and a full complement of digital TV production equipment, including HD and three Maya high-end animation workstations. In his related role as Manager, Science Visualization Laboratory, Griswold has designed and directed dozens of scientific visualizations using computer animation and special effects photography.

Before joining the SMG, Griswold was the recipient of an Artists Fellowship from the Massachusetts Council for the Arts and Humanities, as well as production grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Watertown Council for the Arts. He served as Artist-in-Residence at the Department of Defense Schools (Madrid, Spain), and has lectured at Harvard University, Rhode Island School of Design, Massachusetts College of Art, University of Massachusetts, and Boston Film/Video Foundation.


e) Collaborators & Other Affiliations

Collaborators and Co-Editors. None.

Graduate and Postdoctoral Advisors. None.

Thesis Advisor and Postgraduate-Scholar Sponsor. None.

Other Affiliations. None.