Ph.D.
| Name |
Title |
Phone |
Company |
|
Dana E. Backman |
Associate Director for SOFIA for Education and Public Outreach |
650-604-2128 |
NASA Ames Research Center |
| Additional Info |
Career Path: Post-doc and infrared observer support, Kitt Peak National Observatory; NRC post-doc, NASA-Ames; Professor of physics and astronomy, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster PA (received tenure). Present job description: lead of education and public outreach group and public affairs / press office for Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) based at NASA-Ames; I am a contractor, not a NASA civil servant, hired through SOFIA E/PO subcontract at the SETI Institute. |
|
Leila Belkor |
Science Writer, Project Supervisor |
949-559-8815 |
Self-employed |
| Additional Info |
After completing my Ph.D. I was employed as an editor at a national physics lab--this involved writing for the public as well as for more technically informed audiences. Then I was the science public information officer (PIO) for a state university, and I also taught physics and astronomy there. Then I took a year off to write a popular level book, which turned into a couple years. (The book came out in 2003.) During this writing time I also taught technical writing to engineers at a private university. Now I'm staying home with a preschool age child, but supervising the writing projects of astronomy students through Swinburne University. I am also working on freelance writing projects which are extremely interesting and personally (though not always financially) rewarding to
me. |
|
Blaise Canzian |
Systems Engineer |
(412) 967-7553 |
L-3 Communications/Brashear |
| Additional Info |
Career path - Postdoc at STScI (3 years) - 1.5 years of pure research and 1.5 years of combined research and functional (support) duties. Then 12 years as an astronomer at the U.S. Naval Observatory (Flagstaff), first under contract to USRA and then as a civil servant employee of the U.S. Navy. Now at L-3/Brashear in my home town using knowledge and skills in optics, computing systems, and telescope systems. |
|
Lawrence Chernin |
Senior Manager |
|
Cadence Design Systems (San Jose) |
| Additional Info |
|
|
Glenn Cooper |
System Administrator |
630-840-8254 |
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory |
| Additional Info |
|
|
Rolf Danner |
Senior Scientist Civil Space Business Development |
310-812-0093 |
Northrop Grumman Space Technology |
| Additional Info |
While I've spent the bulk of my professional life as an employee first at a NASA center (JPL) and now at Northrop Grumman, I've always had a desire to engage in a broad range of projects. This has led me most recently to starting my own company that publishes an online magazine for gay men interested in personal growth: "http://www.lifepowernow.com"
Not unlike many in the international field of astronomy, I had to face the dual challenge of choosing a career and my country of residence. Though starting with such a wide open range of choices was confusing at times, today I'm glad that I made the first step. I hope to share what I have learned to make this process at least a little less mysterious for others. Please contact me, if you think I might be able to help. |
|
Nicholas M. Elias II |
Senior Systems Engineer |
303-939-5152 |
Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. |
| Additional Info |
I've done most of my work in Civil New Business, doing applied research for advanced interferometric instrumentation such as TPF and SPECS. Recently, I've been reducing CCD images for an ozone-mapping satellite called OMPS (part of NPOESS). |
|
Webster Ewell |
Operations Research Analyst |
703-697-0063 |
Department of Defense |
| Additional Info |
After getting my Ph.D. I went to work as a Naval Operations Analyst, and I now work in Program Analysis and Evaluation for the Department of Defense. |
|
Richard Fienberg |
Editor in Chief |
617-864-7360 x144 |
Sky Publishing Corp. |
| Additional Info |
B.A., physics, 1978 (Rice University), M.A./Ph.D., astronomy, 1980/1985 (Harvard University). I discovered during my graduate training that I enjoyed teaching and writing more than I enjoyed doing astrophysics research. When an opportunity opened up at Sky & Telescope magazine in 1986, I jumped on it. I've been with Sky Publishing ever since, in a variety of editorial and management capacities, thriving at the nexus of the amateur and professional astronomical communities and working on magazines, books, software, Web sites, eclipse tours, and other projects.
|
|
Gregory J. Hartke |
Fellow Engineer |
|
Northrop Grumman |
| Additional Info |
|
|
Gary M. Heiligman |
Senior Professional Staff |
443-778-7931 |
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab. |
| Additional Info |
|
|
Nicole Homeier |
Actuarial Analyst |
|
Towers Perrin - Tillinghast |
| Additional Info |
Near the end of my first post-doc I knew I did not want a career in astronomy. It took me about a year to go from deciding to pursue a career
as an actuary to accepting my first job. There are 9 exams to become a fully credentialed actuary (a "Fellow", which takes 4-10 years), and
companies support you in studying for them. Typically one needs to pass 1-2 exams to get a job. I passed 1 exam before applying for jobs (Exam P/1). Through contacts, I had 4 interviews within a month. Without those contacts, it would have taken longer, but I still had some bites. The main actuarial career fairs are in Sept-Nov, which I was unaware of, and that is probably a good way to get interviews. After just a couple months on the job (as of mid-2007) I am enjoying myself and very glad I made the change. Feel free to contact me with any questions. |
|
Scott Horner |
Instrument Scientist |
650-424-2570 |
Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center |
| Additional Info |
I am the Instrument Scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam). My job is to ensure that the instrument that is being built will be able to achieve its scientific objectives when on orbit. This job is similar to being a systems engineer, but from a broader perspective of being active on the science team and addressing the science objectives. The programs and missions of the Advanced Technology Center can be found at
http://www.lockheedmartin.com/ssc/AdvancedTechnologyCtr/index.html
The Lockheed Martin career website can be found at
http://www.lockheedmartinjobs.com/ |
|
Kriten Joshi |
Senior Strategist, Global Sales & Distribution |
|
IBM |
| Additional Info |
After my Ph.D. at MIT, I worked for McKinsey as a strategy consultant for three years. I then joined IBM to do strategy for their Healthcare and Life Sciences business before moving into a global corporate strategy role.
|
|
Alan Karp |
Principal Scientist |
|
Hewlett-Packard Laboratories |
| Additional Info |
After a post-doc at IBM Research, I spent a year as an assistant professor at Dartmouth College. I then joined the IBM Scientific Center in Palo Alto, CA, where I worked in atmospheric radiative transport, oil reservoir modeling, and parallel computation. I joined HP Labs in 1992 where I worked on tools for debugging parallel programs, was one of the architects of Intel's Itanium processor, developed a secure distributed computing environment, and worked on automated negotiation. I am currently heading a group developing a virus safe computing environment for Microsoft Windows. As you can see from my checkered career, industrial research requires a great deal flexibility and the ability to learn new subjects quickly.
|
|
Anthony Kaye |
Senior Principal Scientist |
505 298 7366 |
ITT Industries, Inc. |
| Additional Info |
I've gone from a national laboratory (straight from graduate school) at which I was first a post-doc and then full-time staff to industry. I maintain tenuous links to academia through my current job position and by appointments as adjunct professor at two universities.
|
|
Steven Kilston |
Manager of Extrasolar Planet Advanced Missions |
303-939-4998 |
Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. |
| Additional Info |
Career path: 4 years as a high school teacher, 1 year as a junior college professor, 25 years in aerospace industry, culminating in developing IKONOS commercial high-resolution remote sensing satellite and managing Terrestrial Planet Finder design efforts. |
|
John G. Kirk |
Deputy Manager, System and Simulation Engineering |
805-692-2333 x219 |
Northrop Grumman Simulation Technologies |
| Additional Info |
|
|
Anita Krishnamurthi |
Education and Public Outreach Lead |
301-286-2597 |
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center |
| Additional Info |
After my postdoc, I decided I wanted to switch trajectories and went to work at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC. I was a Program Officer in the Office on Public Understanding of Science (OPUS) for nearly two years, designing and implementing science outreach programs targeted at adults. After a brief stint at the National Academies Press, I moved on to a position at NASA Headquarters with the space science education and public outreach group. I got a lot of exposure to the intricacies of managing large programs and initiatives, setting policy and how large government bureaucracies really work! I had a very diverse set of responsibilities at HQ - from managing a variety of education-related programs to reviewing EPO programs of different scales to coordinating a variety of communication efforts. I am now the EPO lead for the Astrophysics Division at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. I am responsible for co-ordinating the EPO programs for the division and am also the EPO lead for two exciting NASA programs (Beyond Einstein and JWST). I enjoy being at this interface between the science and the public and it has been an interesting career path thus far. |
|
Vincent Lee |
Professor of Management (Adjunct) |
|
St. Francis College, Brooklyn Heights, NY |
| Additional Info |
Brief Description of Responsibilities:
As Director of Corporate Strategy, Industry and Competitive Assessment (Retired) Verizon Communications, New York, NY, my job funtions were:
-Directed a team of researchers in developing telecom industry financial and competitive analyses for use by the Corporate Chairman and Board of Directors of a $70B communications company.
-Created the annual telecom industry competitive environment analysis which enabled Directors to quickly gain understanding changes in a rapidly evolving industry.
-Provided financial oversight and recommendations for multi-discipline teams developing major investment business cases by creating detailed long-term cash flow valuation models of investment opportunities.
-Researched and wrote proprietary analysis and recommendation white papers on topics such as growth prospects of new industry technologies, cash flow positions of major industry players and potential acquisitions, and in-depth corporate profiles of major competitors. |
|
Andrea Leistra |
Senior Data Analyst |
|
Yahoo! |
| Additional Info |
left astronomy immediately after my PhD. My advice for other astronomers in the same situation is that the skills employers are interested in may not be what you're used to thinking of, and the most challenging part of your job search may well be finding the employer who will recognize the transferability of your skills (in my case, working with very large datasets thanks to my thesis work mining the 2MASS catalog), as well as your demonstrated ability to think analytically and learn quickly, which will be useful anywhere!
|
|
Larry Lesyna |
Technical Consultant |
702-492-9946 |
LXL Technology |
| Additional Info |
|
|
Robert Link |
Senior Scientist |
|
IET, Inc. |
| Additional Info |
PhD in astrophysics, Indiana University, 1999. |
|
Sarah Lipscy |
Systems Engineer |
|
Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. |
| Additional Info |
|
|
Timothy A. Livengood |
Astrophysicist/Science Educator |
703-683-9740 |
Challenger Center for Space Science Education |
| Additional Info |
The Challnger Center for Space Science Education is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization founded in 1986 by the families of the astronauts tragically lost in the Challenger 51-L mission. Dedicated to the educational spirit of that mission, Challenger Center programs continue the crew's mission of engaging students in science, math and technology and foster in them an interest to pursue careers in those fields. |
|
James Marshall |
Software Engineer |
|
|
| Additional Info |
I originally intended to follow the usual academic path, because I
wanted to do research, and being able to teach as well seemed like a
good option. However, when I started looking for post-docs and
fellowships in the year before I finished my Ph.D., I was unable to
get an offer. Around that time, I decided that I would like a change
from the research work I had been doing, and started looking for
teaching or tutoring jobs. I continued to look for jobs after
graduation, and was contacted by Innovim about a software engineering
position. I was concerned that I didn't have enough of a computer
science background for the job, but they told me that they were more
interested in bringing in someone with a science background then.
Shortly after my interview, I received and accepted their employment
offer. My current work is at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
in the Earth science area, particularly with data systems. While
this is a change of area, it gives me a chance to expand my skills.
For example, I'm doing more web development, computer programming,
and helping to run the activities of a working group. However, I
would still like to get back into astronomy work, and I hope that
as Innovim grows, they will expand into space science. I believe
this is their plan, so hopefully in the future I will be able to do
astronomy work again. |
|
Kevin B. Marvel |
Deputy Executive Officer |
202-328-2010 x114 |
American Astronomical Society |
| Additional Info |
I began following a standard trajectory after receiving my doctorate, landing a postdoc position at a well-known radio observatory. In my second year I noticed an ad for the AAAS Congressional Science fellow positions and considered applying. About the same time, the AAS advertised an Associate Executive Officer position focused on public policy. I figured that the AAS job is what I would like after completing the AAAS fellowship, so I opted to try for the AAS job first. I did a lot of research ahead of the application process by calling active public policy/government relations staff in DC and speaking with them about their normal activities. I learned a lot and it came in handy during the application and interviewing process. I also received good advice and support from two senior astronomer mentors, both of whom are actively involved in the public policy arena, which encouraged me to "go for it." I'm very glad I did. |
|
Sean J. McKenna |
Associate Department Head |
603-893-9311 |
Mitre Corporation, Bedford, MA |
| Additional Info |
I am senior principal scientist in the broad area of sensor systems development for Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems. My primary sponsor is the US Air Force. I have convinced my sponsors that personnel with advanced degrees in physics, astronomy, chemical physics, etc. have demonstrated their ability to tackle complex and difficult problems. This is the dominant skill needed to advise DOD and OSD. |
|
Pete Newman |
Higher Scientific Officer |
+44(7952)910184 |
Government Operational Research Service (UK) |
| Additional Info |
At the time of writing (2005 Feb.), I am about to start my first job in a new career with the UK Civil Service, working as an Operational Research specialist (www.operational-research.gov.uk) with an initial posting to the Home Office Immigration and Nationality Directorate's Operational Modelling team (www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk). I spent twenty years in the computer industry, mostly on business systems projects and spent the last twelve years in astronomy, most recently working as one of the observers at Apache Point Observatory (www.apo.nmsu.edu) on the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (www.sdss.org). You might still find some personal links from that time at http://galileo.apo.nmsu.edu/~prn. Operational research makes good use of my backgrounds in business and organisations (from my career in computer systems) and numerical methods (from astronomy). There are many organisations beside government that employ OR staff, most notably airlines. |
|
Alicia Oshlack |
Postdoc |
+61(0)393452631 |
Walter & Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research |
| Additional Info |
I completed my Ph.D. in astronomy at the end of 2002. I have now shifted research feilds and am working in the growing field of bioinformatics where I do research into the statistics and analysis of biological data. I have a post-doc position at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institue of Medical Research the premier medical research institute in Australia, and work on a variety of projects including cancer, malaria and evolution of primates. |
|
Wellesley Pereira |
Principal Investigator / Senior Research Engineer |
|
ThermoAnalytics, Inc. |
| Additional Info |
|
|
Joseph Pesce |
President |
703.790.0612 |
Omnis, Inc. |
| Additional Info |
Career path: Postdoc, Space Telescope Science Institute; Research
Associate, Penn State University, State College; In 1998 I went to work
for the U.S. Government as an analyst, and in late 2005, started my own
science and technology consulting and training company in Northern
Virginia, where I am President. I am also an Associate Professor in the
Physics & Astronomy Department at George Mason University, Fairfax,
Virginia. Job experience in academia (teaching and research), government,
and private industry. |
|
Rachel Pildis |
Development Consultant, re:Sources USA IT |
|
Publicis Groupe |
| Additional Info |
My confusing title and employer convert to my being a web programmer and technical lead for Publicis Groupe, the parent company for several advertising agencies (Leo Burnett and Saatchi & Saatchi, among others). I've helped design intranets and client extranets for several of the agencies beneath the Publicis Groupe umbrella. Perhaps surprisingly, having a Ph.D. really impresses people - the harder sell was explaining how astronomy started using the web early on, and how much computer programming is required to be an astronomer. |
|
Ronald Polidan |
Chief Architect, Civil Space Systems, Business Development |
310-812-0199 |
Northrop Grumman Space Technology |
| Additional Info |
|
|
Bruce Popp |
Patent Translation Specialist |
508-624-9767 |
Bien Fait Translations |
| Additional Info |
Although my career trajectory has taken some sharp turns, it has always been propelled by a significant need for intellectual challenge. I have in general done quite well in satisfying that need with work that requires learning, research, sorting out what is important, and rigor. See www.bien-fait.com/en for more information. |
|
Irene Porro |
EPO Scientist |
|
MIT |
| Additional Info |
|
|
Doug Ratay |
Research Analyst |
(352) 262-3538 |
Cortana Corporation |
| Additional Info |
I work for a small defense contractor in the DC area, with a focus on naval applications. I generally do program management, technical writing, and a bit of programming, but there’s a lot of flexibility. |
|
Harold Reitsema |
Deputy for Civil Space Systems |
|
Ball Aerospace |
| Additional Info |
My work in industry has involved teamwork for developing
concepts for astronomical instrumentation for space missions and
participating in getting scientific results. My astronomical training
was also valuable for the analytical, software, communication and
proposal tools that I developed thru my research work. I have been a
co-investigator on a number of space missions, with primary
responsibilities for assisting in the interface between scientific
objectives and hardware implementation approaches. I have been involved
in many proposal and space program activities and now am responsible for
ensuring that Ball Aerospace is able to work productively with the space
science community to maximize the return from NASA missions. |
|
Naomi Ridge |
Vice-Consul, Science and Innovation |
617-245-4500 |
UK Consulate-General, Boston |
| Additional Info |
PhD In Astronomy, 2 postdoctoral positions
before the two body problem led me to look outside of academia. |
|
Eric Rubenstein |
Senior Physicist |
860-528-9806 x112 |
Advanced Fuel Research Inc. |
| Additional Info |
As PI on several gov't.-funded projects, I have a fast-paced, research position. AFR, has a track-record of entrepreneurial spin-offs, with an emphasis on innovative technology R&D. In addition to tech. projects, we do basic research in chemistry, and, since my hire, astronomy and imaging sciences. Many projects are SBIR funded, an excellent means of getting support without loosing intellectual property rights (just don't disclose proprietary data in the abstract!). When I left academia, it would have been nice know which skills were most important to industrial R&D employers. The skills most important in my transition were intellectual flexibility (applying astronomy tools and techniques to non-astronomy problems), oral/written presentation skills, and the ability/desire to be able to quickly obtain a critical-mass of knowledge in a new field (knowing HOW to learn). Astronomers are well positioned to take on roles in corporate R&D--even in dramatically different fields. |
|
Andrea Schweitzer |
Freelance Consultant |
970-691-4747 |
|
| Additional Info |
After completing my Ph.D., I went into industry and found I liked it much more than I ever would have expected! I received excellent training in engineering project management, got my student loans paid off quickly, and was able to live in the region of the country that I chose. More background about my transition into industry is posted in the article, "Living the Dilbert Life," at http://www.astrosociety.org/pubs/mercury/9705/dilbert.html. I have worked as a project manager for R&D and as an international trade analyst for high-tech goods. I also chaired the Employment Committee for the AAS. Since taking a layoff package in 2002, I have been working for myself on NASA and aerospace projects. My clients have included NASA, Boeing, the Space Science Institute, Applied Design Corp., and the Southwest Research Institute. I enjoy working as an independent consultant, but it is rarely possible to do this early in your career; you need a significant professional network first.
I am happy to talk with early-career astronomers about the choice to go into industry, or with established-career astronomers about how to work as a consultant, which is an excellent option if you would like to be semi-retired. |
|
Mark Sincell |
Patent Agent |
(713) 934-4052 |
Williams, Morgan & Amerson, PC |
| Additional Info |
I received my PhD from Johns Hopkins in 1994 and spent a few years postdoc-ing before realizing that research was not the job for me. I began science writing and eventually established myself as a freelance writer for Science, Astronomy, Sky&Telescope, Discover, Physics World, and other publications. A number of my clients suffered in the tech collapse, which dramatically reduced my workload, leading me to look into patent law. I discovered that it shared many characteristics with journalism (such as interviewing, writing, cutting edge science/engineering) and also had several advantages, like the chance to do more analysis/advocacy/strategy and substantially higher pay. So I made the jump to being a patent agent and have been happily toiling away for the last several years.
|
|
Denise Smith |
Origins Education Forum Manager |
410-338-4434 |
Space Telescope Science Institute |
| Additional Info |
|
|
David Sprayberry |
Associate Director for Instrumentation |
520-318-8372 |
National Optical Astronomy Observatory |
| Additional Info |
I started out in engineering school, then switched to political science and
law to combine an interest in government with a viable career path. After
practicing law for eight years, and growing increasingly less satisfied with
the nature of the intellectual challenges I was facing, I went back to
school to study Astronomy. This required me first to get another Bachelor's
degree, this time in Physics, before pursuing my PhD. Since getting my PhD,
I have found myself more and more strongly "pushed" in the direction of
program management. I say "pushed" because it's largely been a result of
which jobs I was able to get. My previous work in law and business has
equipped me with skills that not every astronomer has, and so the movement
into program management has seemed to fit my background. The drawback it
has taken me out of doing research as part of my work. |
|
Joseph C. Wang |
Software Developer |
512 964 6086 |
QuantLib |
| Additional Info |
My career path is that I went from my Ph.D. in 1998 into petroleum exploration
working at Halliburton for almost seven years until I was laid off, and my
day job currently involves working for a small Austin-based software company
that does dispatching. However, I'm currently in the process of moving into
academic quantitative finance and trying to specialize in understanding
Chinese deriviatives. I'm also working on Wikiversity and Wikipedia which I
hope to use as an academic support network. |
