Science Communicator & Physicist | Gravitational Waves, Black Holes & the Universe in Plain English | Engineering R&D at LIGO / Caltech
Deputy Head of Systems Science and Engineering
LIGO Laboratory – Caltech
I’m a physicist and engineer at the LIGO Laboratory at Caltech, where I lead R&D for the most sensitive scientific instruments ever built. My team works at the frontier of precision measurement, quantum optics, and machine learning – pushing gravitational-wave detectors to new limits so we can reach deeper into the universe with every observing run.
But my parallel mission is translation.
Science this extraordinary deserves an audience beyond academic journals. I write and speak about gravitational waves, black holes, neutron stars, and the technology behind LIGO for audiences ranging from students to business leaders – in person, on YouTube, and daily on LinkedIn (210 posts in 2025 alone). I’ve spoken at Griffith Observatory’s All Space Considered series, schools, universities, and public events across Southern California.
I believe that science communication isn’t a side project – it’s how science earns its place in society.
My expertise includes:
• Gravitational-wave astronomy & detector physics
• Precision measurement & quantum optics
• Machine learning applications in experimental physics
• R&D leadership & multi-institute team management
• Public science communication – live, digital, and written
🏆 Breakthrough Special Prize for Fundamental Physics (with the LIGO Scientific Collaboration)
I’m actively seeking speaking and public lecture opportunities – if your event brings science to life for broad audiences, let’s talk.
In my free time you can find me exploring trails in the San Gabriel Mountains near Los Angeles, or running some very long trail race around the world.
I completed many races, as long as 100+ miles, including some of the most iconic races: the Angeles Crest 100 mile in Los Angeles, one of the first hundred-milers in the USA, and the world-class Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc that takes you on a 108 miles loop around the highest peak in Europe – Mount Blanc – while climbing a whopping 32,000 feet.
