Kaz Gary
2025 Seed Grant Awardee
Project Description
Weird Worlds
Weird Worlds is an innovative education and outreach initiative that uses the open-source software OpenSpace to make astrobiology and the search for life beyond Earth accessible to diverse audiences. This project leverages cutting-edge space visualization tools to explain concepts like habitability, biosignatures, and the criteria for life-friendly planets. Through planetarium show scripts and social media videos, Weird Worlds aims to engage learners of all ages with stunning visualizations and up-to-date science. The program's flexibility allows it to be used across a wide range of settings- classrooms, museums, and community spaces- bringing these “weird worlds” to life in immersive and interactive ways.
Target Audience Age
| 0-4 | 5-10 | 11-14 | 14-18 | 19-22 | 23-26 | 27-99 |
NASA Division
Astrophysics
Grant Status
Learning Context
Digital Learning
Neighborhood /
Community
Informal /
Out of School
Home / Family
Citizen Science
Formal Education
SME Bio
Developing planetarium shows is one of the most awe-inspiring ways to communicate science, and with OpenSpace, I’ll be able to bring cutting-edge astronomy directly to the public in a way that’s both accurate and visually stunning.
Kaz Gary
Weird Worlds PI
PhD Student
The Ohio State University
Kaz Gary is a PhD student at The Ohio State University studying planets outside of our solar system. After earning a B.S. in Astronomy and Physics from the University of Kansas, he began working with Dr. Ji Wang and Dr. Scott Gaudi on simulating exoplanet observations for future space observatories. His research focuses on identifying where we should search for life and how we might conclusively detect it. Beyond research, Kaz is passionate about science communication and writes for Astrobites, contributes to public outreach through planetarium shows, and is developing an exoplanet-focused show with the help of a NASA SCoPE Seed Grant.
SciAct Team
OpenSpace Description
Funded in part by NASA, OpenSpace brings the latest techniques from data visualization research to the general public. OpenSpace supports interactive presentation of dynamic data from observations, simulations, and space mission planning and operations. OpenSpace works on multiple operating systems, with an extensible architecture powering high resolution tiled displays and planetarium domes, and makes use of the latest graphic card technologies for rapid data throughput. In addition, OpenSpace enables simultaneous connections across the globe, creating opportunity for shared experiences among audiences worldwide.
Kaz’s plans to develop a program guide for a live planetarium program using the new exoplanet assets he produces in OpenSpace supports the needs of our OpenSpace project by providing program resources for other users.