Paul sipiera biography

Some may regard stargazing as a flight of fancy for which there is little room in a world saddled with so many down-to-earth problems.

Others may think it curious that a professor at a suburban community college has anything earth-shattering to bring to the world of science.

But Paul Sipiera, a Harper College astronomy and geology professor, has made a living out of spending his time with his head in the clouds, chasing the moon and meteorites, bits of the universe that fall from the sky.

Sipiera readily admits that he`ll never realize a lifelong fantasy to walk on Mars.

But another of his obsessions-building a world-class planetarium in the northwest suburbs-is moving closer to reality.

Thursday, Sipiera, who also serves as president of the Palatine-based Planetary Studies Foundation, signed a formal agreement with Harper College to build a $6 million, 44,000-square-foot planetarium on the Palatine campus.

But while getting the college to agree to provide the land needed for t