Magda Stavinschi, astronomer and former director of the Astronomical Institute of the Romanian Academy (1990-2005), is president of the Association for the Dialogue between Science and Theology in Romania. She is also director of the John Templeton Foundation Program “Science and Orthodoxy: Research and Education”.

She is the president of the international commission Astronomy Education and Development (2009-2012). She is a member of the International Astronomical Union, founder member of the European Astronomical Society and its councilor for 2000-2004, Chair of the EAS South East Branch for SEE (from 2000), chair of the international working group Astronomy and Cultural Heritage, member CIRET (International Center for Transdisciplinary Research). She was honored with a special recognition award for Global Perspectives on Science and Spirituality: A Program of the Université Interdisciplinaire de Paris and Elon University with funding from the John Templeton Foundation. In 2005, she was Officier de l’Ordre National du Mérite, France. She has published 10 books, more than 150 articles in refereed journals, of her 300 published articles. She was editor or coeditor of the books Science and Religion. Antagonism or complementarity? (2003), Romanian Perspectives on Science and Theology (2006), Science and Orthodoxy: a Necessary Dialogue (with Basarab Nicolescu, 2006) and coordinator with. Basarab Nicolescu of the new series Science and Religion, Curtea Veche Publishing House.