For many years Dr Griffin pursued research into stellar spectra, principally of composite-spectrum binaries, at Cambridge (UK), supporting it with observations acquired at major telescopes overseas. She now continues those interests in Canada, at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory near Victoria, and makes her observations there. The prime research objectives are to determine the masses and other fundamental parameters of both component stars, and to examine their evolutionary status. She also champions initiatives to recover the information in pre-digital (photographic) observations through programmes of appropriate digitization.

Dr. Ake is a Program Director at Computer Sciences Corporation supporting the Hubble Space Telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope, the Milkulski Archive for Space Telescopes, and the Kepler Data Management Center projects at Space Telescope Science Institute. His research interests center on evolved stars and binary systems, particularly UV andFUV spectroscopic investigations from space of red giants and supergiants with hot secondary companions. He is currently studying the evolutionary status of cool stars with main sequence B- and A-type secondaries to refine the fundamental stellar parameters of the evolved components.

Carefully edited volume reviewing a rare class of eclipsing binary stars

Describes historical development of the field as well as modern observational and theoretical results

Provides detailed information on the giant binary star epsilon Aurigae

The zeta Aurigae Binaries.- Observing and Analyzing the zeta Aurigae Systems.- The Special Case of VV Cephei.- zeta Aurigae - a Two Century Long Dilemma Persists.- Atmospheric Heating and Wind Acceleration in Cool Evolved Stars.- Optical Interferometry of Giants and Supergiants.- Asteroseismology of Eclipsing Binary Stars.- Index of Keywords.