Experience

Caltech

• United States
• Research Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Member of the Professional Staff

  • Dec 2017 - Present

• Project Scientist, Robo-AO KP; Software Lead, Robo-AO ZTF, KPED

  • May 2009 - Present

  Software Lead, Zwicky Transient Facility• Managed team developing robotic system software for ZTF• Designed ZTF robotic observing software architecture• Created interface to large mosaic camera system, super efficient observing system• Interfaced with scientists, pipeline developers, engineering team to produce robust operational system Project Scientist, Robo-AO KP• Managed operations of KPNO 2.1m telescope with Robo-AO instrument• Supervised students, postdoc, NOAO staff in all aspects of Robo-AO operations• Interfaced with NOAO staff and leadership, NSF, as part of operations• Significant contribution to project proposal, legal agreements and negotiations• Manage agreements with USSTRATCOM for safe laser operationSoftware Lead, Robo-AO• Developed first robotic adaptive optics software and operation system• Created first automated laser guide star acquisition and control system for astronomical observations • New adaptive optics control software built from the ground up• Fully robotic observing system, including telescope, CCD, and mechanical controlsSoftware Lead, Kitt Peak EMCCD Demonstrator (KPED)• Designed ZTF robotic observing software architecture, based on ZTF architecture; software will be released publicly for other automated observatories to useEducational activities:• Instructor, Center for Adaptive Optics Summer School, 2014 & 2016• Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Mentor, Celia Zhang, summer 2015 • Minority Undergraduate Research Fellowship (MURF) Co-Mentor, Ashley Villar, summer 2012• SURF Co-Mentor, Athanasios Papadopoulos and Ankit Arya, summer 2011• SURF Co-Mentor, Alexander Rudy and Marland Sitt, summer 2010• SURF Co-Mentor Advisory Council member, 2010-2011 Show less



TMT International Observatory LLC

• United States
• Research Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Research Scientist

  • Aug 2004 - May 2009

  - Developed robotic software and operation system for the site testing program - Created centralized data archiving systems, a monitoring system for all site testing equipment at all sites, and managed operation of the network of telescopes - Developed robotic instrumentation to be mounted at Keck Observatory for environment testing - Traveled to remote sites to install, repair, upgrade and remove site testing equipment on regular basis - Developed robotic software and operation system for the site testing program - Created centralized data archiving systems, a monitoring system for all site testing equipment at all sites, and managed operation of the network of telescopes - Developed robotic instrumentation to be mounted at Keck Observatory for environment testing - Traveled to remote sites to install, repair, upgrade and remove site testing equipment on regular basis



Iowa State University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Associate Director, Whole Earth Telescope Operations

  • Sep 2000 - Jul 2004

  - Ensured the successful operation of the telescope program - Organized worldwide observational campaigns - Prepared proposals, arranged for visiting scientists - Prepared computer infrastructure, managed campaigns, reduced data - Developed new software to improve campaign operation and data reduction system, including Xwindows based photometry analysis package with Fourier Transform analysis capability Educational activities: - Instructor, Astronomy 150: Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology, Fall 2003 - Instructor, Astronomy 150: Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology, Fall 2001 - Co-instructor, Astronomy 250: Astronomy Bizarre, Spring 2001 - Laboratory Instructor, Astronomy 150: Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology, Fall 2000 - Research Experience for Undergraduates supervisor, Summer 2001, 2002 & 2003 Show less