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Dr. Frank Drake is President of the SETI Institute and provides overall direction for research at the Institute. In 1960, as a staff member of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, he conducted the first radio search for extraterrestrial intelligence. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences where he chaired the Board of Physics and Astronomy of the National Research Council (1989-92). He has also served as President of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. He was a Professor of Astronomy at Cornell University (1964-84) and served as the Director of the Arecibo Observatory. He is currently a Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of California at Santa Cruz where he also served as Dean of Natural Sciences (1984-88).
Dr. Bernard M. Oliver*, Vice President (ret.) of R & D for 30 years with Hewlett Packard company and National Medal of Science winner, serves as Senior Technical Expert for the SETI Institute. Dr. Oliver is a member of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. He is a Fellow and former President of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). He has received the NASA Medal for Exceptional Engineering Achievement, the IEEE Lamme Medal, and the Pioneer Award of the International Foundation for Telemetering. Dr. Oliver holds more than 50 patents in at least seven major fields.
Dr. Jill Tarter, Institute Senior Program Scientist, leads Project Phoenix, the privately funded continuation of NASA's Targeted Search SETI program. She was the Project Scientist for the NASA High Resolution Microwave Survey Project, is a member of the International Academy of Astronautics, has received the Women in Aerospace Lifetime Achievement Award, and in March, 1993 was awarded two separate Public Service Medals by NASA for outstanding leadership in agency sponsored efforts. She has served on advisory committees for NASA, Arecibo Observatory, and the Committee on Radio Frequencies of the National Research Council.
Dr. John Billingham is a Distinguished Senior Scientist serving as an advisor to the Institute on long-term planning and international activities. Dr. Billingham established the SETI Program Office at NASA's Ames Research Center in 1975 and oversaw the growth of the program into the High Resolution Microwave Survey SETI Project. He has received NASA's Exceptional Service Medal. He is a Senior Academician of the International Academy of Astronautics and chairs the IAA SETI Committee. He is also a member of the International Astronautical Union and a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association.
Dr. Harold Klein is a Distinguished Senior Scientist serving as an advisor to the Institute on Experimental Exobiology and Planetary Exploration. He was Director of Life Sciences at NASA's Ames Research Center and led the Viking Biology team which performed automated life detection experiments on Mars in 1976-77. He has received the NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement, the NASA Medal for Outstanding Leadership, and a Presidential Meritorious Service Award. He has served on several advisory committees to NASA, and has been a member of the Joint U.S./U.S.S.R. Working Group in Space Medicine and Biology since its inception in 1971.
Principal Investigators
Board of Directors
SETI Institute Information
SETI Institute Welcome Page