jill tarter

Born: 1944

Hometown: Berkeley, CA

Education: Ph.D. in Astronomy

Occupation: Astronomer; former Bernard M. Oliver Chair for SETI at the SETI Institute

Expeditions: Chasing after signals from distant technologies at radio telescopes around the globe Favorite Places: At the Allen Telescope Array in Hat Creek, CA or flying N3886P with my husband Jack

Best Discovery: Is yet to come - Are we alone?

Favorite Items In The Field: Laptop computer, samba music, a teapot

Personal Heroes: Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, who coined the phrase "bug" for a computer problem and who claimed that "It is better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission." And also, Margaret Burbidge, an astronomer who single-handedly opened up the mountain top observatories to women

Hobbies: Dancing, flying, sewing, grandfathering

Website: www.seti.org

Advice: Remember Admiral Hopper!