Jill Tarter
Astronomer and current director of the Center for SETI Research, holding the Bernard M. Oliver Chair for SETI at the SETI Institute
Tarter's work has brought her wide recognition in the scientific community, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from Women in Aerospace and two Public Service Medals from NASA. Tarter was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2002 and a fellow of the California Academy of Sciences in 2003. She has published dozens of technical papers and lectures extensively, both on the search for extraterrestrial intelligence and on the need for proper science education.