About Me


I attended the University of Colorado, Boulder where I received my B.A. degree (cum laude and with Honors) in Physics.  My graduate degrees (M.Sc., M.Phil., and Ph.D.) are from the University of Cambridge (Peterhouse) and the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS) in Trieste, Italy. 



Early in my career, I studied dust formation around supergiant stars, then moved on to clusters of galaxies, and the near and far environments around supermassive black holes found in the centers of objects called active galactic nuclei (and in particular, a subclass known as blazars).  I conducted early multi-wavelength studies of blazars, attempting to understand where their energy comes from and how their jets form.  I’ve observed with telescopes from all over the world and in space, in wavelengths from radio to gamma-rays.
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I'm deeply involved in education - astronomy, critical thinking and problem solving, science policy, and leadership.

My career has provided experience in the private sector, public sector (government), and academia.

I consult on physics and astronomy topics for the entertainment industry.