It’s late on a Friday evening, the skies are clear, and the stars are shining bright. Drew Deskur readies a NASA-level telescope high atop a hill in Vestal, as eager guests line up to witness the universe like never before. With “ohs and ahs” echoing throughout the Kopernik Observatory, this 1973 grad is living his childhood dreams.
“This has got to be one of the best jobs in the world. When young students come to Kopernik and look through a telescope, perhaps for the first time, I often hear an audible “Wow” or “that is SO COOL,” said Deskur.
Drew Deskur has been the Executive Director of Kopernik since 2012, but his love for space and technology dates back as far as he can remember. Growing up in what he described as a “techie household,” Drew has always been fascinated with the world of STEM. And while it’s common in our technology-driven generation to connect with people from all over the world in an instant – Drew was doing it back in the mid-60s, but not in the ways you might think.
“My father was an engineer for IBM and was big into Ham Radio. I watched as he talked to people around the world using used his ham radio equipment he built and modified himself. That led me to get my Ham Radio license when I was 12 years old. My brother Edward also got his Ham Radio License and the three of us would spend time in the basement getting “on the air” talking to people around the world,” said Deskur.
He may not have realized it at the time, but these early memories would only plant seeds for what was to come. As he walked the halls of Maine-Endwell Senior High School, Deskur’s love for the technical world only grew, leading to some historic moments in the world of education.
“I remember being one of the first students that were allowed to connect to a computer system at what is now Binghamton University to do computer programming in a language called APL. It was a way to “play” in an area of technology that was new and exciting,” said Deskur.
Interested in pursuing a career in Electrical Engineering, Deksur attended Broome Community College following his graduation at Maine-Endwell. He later went to Rochester Institute of Technology, and in 1978, received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. He’d eventually end up working in the Boston area for a number of high-tech companies, later becoming an IT Director for a venture capital form. While in Boston, Deskur received a High-Tech MBA from Northeastern University.
Then, life came full circle.
“While I was living in Boston, I became involved with AMSAT, an organization that builds and operates Ham Radio Satellites. While volunteering for AMSAT, I did the printed circuit layout for circuit cards on three different Ham Radio Satellites,” said Deskur
After a number of years in Boston, in 2004, it was time to return home. Drew, his wife, and their two young daughters set their sights on the Southern Tier once again.
“I went from being an IT consultant to being an early childhood development specialist… with two clients… my two daughters. I was a stay-at-home dad,” said Deskur.
When his daughters started to go to elementary school, Deskur started doing IT consulting in the Southern Tier. Then, in 2008, he was asked to join the Board of Directors of the Kopernik Observatory, where he’s remained ever since.
“What drew me to Kopernik was that I saw it as a wonderful “techie” playground. Kopernik is more than just three telescopes on the top of a hill. It is a place where students of all ages come to learn how the world and the Universe works,” said Deskur.
Today, hundreds of kids from the Southern Tier visit Kopernik through educational field trips, including our schools here at Maine-Endwell. For Deskur, it’s one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
“Some of those students have become interns at Kopernik, helping younger students at our STEM-themed Summer Camps and on our Friday Night Observing sessions. We have had our students go on to pursue careers in Science and Engineering and it is heartwarming when they come back to visit and recall their time at Kopernik as what turned them on to what would be their life pursuit,” said Deskur.
Deskur looks back fondly at his time at Maine-Endwell, crediting his educators for helping shape his passions, both in the STEAM field, and in music. As an All-State Chorus member who remembers traveling to Boston to sing in the All-Eastern Chorus – music still plays a big role in his life. He’s currently the music director of a Catholic Church in Endicott and also sings with the Madrigal Choir of Binghamton.
While many years have passed since Deskur and his family communicated with people across the world on Ham radios, this 1973 grad still takes part in the hobby, even hosting a Ham Radio Day - teaching the next generation to use the technology.
For this Spartan, exploring the skies on a daily basis has been a dream come true. He still remembers the worldwide excitement that followed the moon landing, and carries that same joy he felt as a child, into work each day. Even though not *every* dream became a reality…
“If I had the opportunity to travel to and work in space, I would absolutely jump on that. Unfortunately, at 6’ 6”, I am too tall to be an astronaut, so I’ll make the most of my time at Kopernik,” said Deskur.
Information on Kopernik’s summer programs, along with their viewing nights can be found here.