Dr. Eric Becklin
SOFIA Chief Scientist
becklin@astro.ucla.edu
webpage

Dr. Becklin is the leader of all SOFIA science activities. He works to see that the observatory science goals are met and to ensure that the design, implementation, and operation of the observatory - including its telescope and instruments - will meet these goals. He closely reviews the expected performance for the 2.5 m telescope, and the ongoing development of the suite of Facility Instruments being readied for the astronomical community for for first-light science. Dr. Becklin's personal research interests include the investigation of the nature of young stellar objects, planetary systems, the Galactic Center and other galactic nuclei.

Dr. Jacqueline Davidson
USRA SOFIA Project Scientist
jdavidson@mail.arc.nasa.gov

Dr. Davidson is the central liaison and coordinator between the science community and engineering community that are together preparing the observatory. In this role, Dr. Davidson is primarily concerned with the in-flight performance of the observatory. She monitors the designs and development of the observatory components that will yield high quality observations and sensitivity, such as infrared background minimization structures, pointing stabilization, interfaces to the science instruments, calibration capabilities, etc. Dr. Davidson's personal research interests include the investigation of magnetic field structures in our galaxy, particularly in star formation regions and the Galactic Center, and how these fields relate to the evolution of these regions.

Dr. Sean Casey
SOFIA Senior Scientist
scasey@mail.arc.nasa.gov

Dr. Casey coordinates the design and development of the nine first-light science instruments, and insures that as they become ready, they will meet their performance goals and "fit" into the observatory: physically, electronically, and operationally. This includes use of common observing modes, common paths to FAA flight certification, and a shared software and archiving environment. Dr. Casey's personal research interests include the study of interstellar dust grain composition and their resultant optical absorption and emission properties.

Dr. Göran Sandell
SOFIA Senior Scientist
gsandell@mail.arc.nasa.gov

Dr. Sandell is preparing for the operational needs of ground operations, including the planned data processing and archiving systems, and the necessary software tools to be used for observation planning and flight planning. Dr. Sandell is also preparing for the upcoming critical tests required for telescope/airplane integration. He, along with the Project Scientist, will coordinate the performance tests that will evaluate the observatory before operations commence. Additionally, Dr. Sandell's personal research interests include studies of star formation, in both low and high mass star-forming region; young stars, accretion disks around these objects, and the interstellar chemistry of molecular clouds.

Dr. Jürgen Wolf
DLR-SOFIA Senior Scientist
jwolf@mail.arc.nasa.gov

In coordination with the DLR SOFIA team and the German SOFIA Science Working Group, Dr. Wolf is on assignment to the USRA team at NASA Ames Research Center to help develop the observatory and its ground support facilities. His involvement includes the preparation of science laboratories and an instrument pre-flight integration facility in the SOFIA Science and Missions Operations Center, airworthiness certification of instruments, functional and performance testing of the observatory and the preparation of future German personnel deployments. Dr. Wolf's research interest is focussed on the development of far infrared detectors and their application to imaging and spectroscopy. As a continuation of previous work at his home institution, the DLR Institute of Space Sensor Technology and Planetary Exploration in Berlin, he is working on two-dimensional photoconductor arrays and related cryogenic readout electronics for applications on SOFIA.

Dr. William Vacca
SOFIA Web-Scientist
wvacca@mail.arc.nasa.gov

Along with Dr Sandell, he will be involved in supporting observers on SOFIA. He is also involved
in developing the calibration program for SOFIA instruments. His personal research interests include multiwavelength studies of hot stars, supernovae, and starburst galaxies.