Jill Tarter

Jill Tarter is emeritus chair for SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) research at the SETI Institute, which she co-founded and where she is also a trustee. In a leadership role since its founding in 1984, Tarter has led numerous SETI observational programs worldwide and helped construct and operate the Allen Telescope Array in California. She was principal investigator for the “Life in the Universe” and “Voyages Through Time” curriculum-development projects funded by NSF, NASA, and others. Her recognition includes the Women in Aerospace Lifetime Achievement Award, two NASA Public Service Medals, and she was recently elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Asteroid 74824 Tarter (1999 TJ16) was named after her; her biography is Making Contact.