University of California

The University of California at Los Angeles, Berkeley, and Santa Cruz (UCO-Lick) provide science support for SOFIA.

UCLA leads the various UC SOFIA teams under direction of the SOFIA Chief Scientist and Director Designate, Professor Emeritus Eric Becklin. Becklin is involved in science development and operations on SOFIA and works closely with USRA and NASA regarding all SOFIA issues. Professor Ian McLean leads the UCLA Infrared Detector Laboratory team in developing and commissioning FLITECAM, a SOFIA first-light instrument that will be used for telescope testing and scientific research.

The infrared/submillimeter group at the UC Berkeley Department of Physics is engaged in several SOFIA-related activities under the direction of Professors Reinhard Genzel and James Graham. Working with Albrecht Poglitsch, PI of the SOFIA first light instrument FIFI-LS, UCB is helping to develop the new far-IR spectrometer. Randolf Klein is presently at Berkeley as part of the effort to allow US astronomers use of the FIFI-LS instrument. Professor Eugene Haller of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and of the Lawrence Livermore National Lab is collaborating with Lothar Reichertz also of LLBL in development of novel submillimeter array detectors based on ultra-pure Ga:As layers.

Bill Brown at UCO-Lick has provided his expertise in the design, construction and testing of the SOFIA primary mirror coating facility at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC). He will also be involved in the initial coating of the primary mirror when the SOFIA airplane flies to ARC. UCO-Lick has supported the successful testing and commissioning of the UCLA FLITECAM science instrument at the 3.0 meter Shane telescope at Lick Observatory.

Contacts:

Eric Becklin, Chief Scientist
NASA Ames Research Center
Mail Stop N211-3
Moffett Field, CA 94035
(650) 604-2114