Engineers play critical roles in astronomy, from building telescopes, to designing scientific instruments, to operating observatories. Working together, engineers and scientists answer fundamental questions about our universe. In this session, you'll hear from women engineers making contributions to astronomy by developing a new high resolution optical spectrograph, adapting telescope control software for remote operations, architecting document management and managing critical systems for the next generation of telescopes. You will learn about the different engineering disciplines involved in astronomy, key concepts and technologies shaping astronomy today, and how to find job opportunities in astronomy as an engineer.

1. Engineering Careers
in
Astronomy
Madeline Close – Gemini Observatory
Vanessa Montes – Gemini Observatory
Virginia Ford – Thirty Meter Telescope
Kayla Hardie – Giant Magellan Telescope
Angelic Ebbers – Gemini Observatory
With support from engineers at European Southern Observatory, National Solar
Observatory, Large Synoptic Survey Telescope and Space Telescope Science Institute

2. Today’s Talk
What do engineers have to do with astronomy?
§ Panel members will speak about our current work, how we became
involved in astronomy and what our biggest lessons have been.
§ Opportunity for Q&A
What do engineers do in astronomy?
§ Interactive activity about the many roles and projects that different
engineering disciplines are involved with.
What is next for engineers in astronomy?
§ What key projects and technologies are the future of astronomy
§ Opportunity for Q&A
What to take away:
§ Astronomy needs engineers from many disciplines
§ Astronomy offers exciting opportunities and work for engineers

3. What do engineers have to do with astronomy?
The short answer: Lots!
§ How many electrical engineers are in the audience?
§ How many mechanical …
§ How many optical …
§ How many software …
§ How many aerospace …
Astronomy needs all of your skill sets!

4. Panel Member: Madeline Close
Systems Engineering Manager for
Gemini Observatory
² Develop new instruments and capabilities
² Improve operational tools and efficiency
² Manage international team
² Establish systems engineering
infrastructure
Overseeing
development of
the Gemini High-
Resolution Optical
Spectrograph
(GHOST):
from requirements
to verification
to transition to
operation.
Shaping
requirements for
the next Gemini
instrument to
ensure relevancy
in the 2020’s.
Implementing
Docushare re-
organization and
policies to
facilitate archiving,
retrieval and
search.
Auditing and
updating
observatory
requirements and
interface control
documents for
accuracy and
completeness.
Managing and
developing staff
including resource
allocation to
highest priority
projects and
resource loading
with two team
members
returning to
school.
Engaged in
strategic planning
to anticipate
observatory needs
in mid-term.
https://systems2stars.wordpress.com/2015/03/22/systems-engineering-at-gemini-observatory/

5. The most important lessons I’ve learned:
1. Ask for / Seek out new opportunities when you are no longer challenged
2. Develop multiple strengths that align with your career interests
Credits (left to right): Gemini; DISA; Iridium; Iridium
Real Time Operations Support
Systems Engineering
Team Management
Project Management
Real Time Operations
ñ
2014 2012 2010 2008 2006 2004
Gemini Observatory Booz Allen Hamilton The Boeing Company
Panel Member: Madeline Close

6. Panel
Member:
Vanessa
Montes
Electronics
Engineer
&
Project
Manager
at
Gemini
Observatory
Summer
Internships
Water
Vapor
Monitor
Implementa=on.
FPGA
reprogramming
for
Canopus
controller
boards
Electronics
Engineering
Opera&onal
support
Fault
troubleshoo=ng,
maintenance
planning,
support
obsolescence
projects.
Development
support
Design
and
implement
improvements,
par=cipate
in
reviews
for
new
instruments.
Instrument
Manager
for
GeMS
(Gemini
MCAO
System)
Work
with
Instrument
Scien=st
to
define
priori=es
Coordinate
engineering
effort
needed
to
support
the
instrument
Keep
track
of
KPIs
for
instrument
Plan
instrument
shutdowns
and
cross
training
support.
Systems
Engineering
&
Project
Management
(GeMS
Projects)
Work
with
science
staff
to
define
ConOps
documenta=on
Define
system
specifica=ons
for
internal
&
external
projects
Lead
mul=disciplinary
teams
to
deliver
products
defined
by
science
community
expecta=ons.
Plan
and
coordinate
interac=on
with
interna=onal
teams
Credits:
Gemini
Observatory

7. Panel
Member:
Vanessa
Montes
Adap=ve
Op=cs?
Credits:
Gemini
Observatory

8. Panel
Member:
Vanessa
Montes
Adap=ve
Op=cs
+
Laser!
Credits:
Gemini
Observatory

9. Panel
Member:
Vanessa
Montes
Most
important
lessons
learned
so
far…
o Communicate
posi=vely
and
effec=vely
o Choose
your
baTles
o Find
a
sponsor
–
someone
who
advocates
for
you
when
you
are
not
there
o Be
you!

10. Virginia Ford
Senior Optomechanical Engineer
member of TMT staff
Optics Group
non-profit organization supported by 5 countries
Pasadena, CA
Thirty Meter Telescope
NEXT GENERATION EXTREMELY LARGE TELESCOPE
M3
M1
M2
Secondary
Mirror
Tertiary
Mirror
Primary
Mirror
Thirty Meter Telescope
Virginia Ford
Senior Optomechanical Engineer
Canada
China
India
Japan
USA

11. Primary Mirror System (M1S)
492 actuated hexagonal segments
Sized 1.44 m point to point
Each segment moves tip, tilt, piston & warps
Secondary Mirror System (M2S)
supported on a hexapod
Size: 3.2m diameter
Moves tip, tilt, X, Y, Z translations
OPTICS GROUP
RESPONSIBILITIES
Provide the mirror systems
for the telescope
Install, test and align the
mirrors on the telescope
Responsible for all support
activities of the mirrors
Tertiary Mirror System (M3S)
supported on tip-tilt gimbal
2.4m X 3.4m flat ellipse
Rotates and tilts
Thirty Meter Telescope
Virginia Ford
Senior Optomechanical Engineer
Canada
China
India
Japan
USA

12. Tertiary Mirror
System (M3S)
Supplied by China
developing prototype
Secondary Mirror
System (M2S)
Supplied by USA, open
proposal competition
2016
Study of Interface
M3S - telescope
Design Study to reduce mass
of prototype M3 Cell
What do I do?
Manage M2S and M3S
Use everything from my
background and more
Communicate and organize
M3S team in China
Interface discussions
Potential M2S suppliers
Engineering
CAD design
Calculations & analyses
Learn
Improve technical skills
Interact with cultures!!!
It’s a great job!
Open positions:
TMT.org
Booth at WE’15
Meeting in China
Thirty Meter Telescope
Virginia Ford
Senior Optomechanical Engineer
Canada
China
India
Japan
USA

13. Panel Member: Kayla Hardie
Systems Engineer Associate at Giant Magellan Telescope
What do I do at the GMT?
§ Support requirements management to:
• Develop requirements management tool structure
• Implement changes to requirement architecture
• Review requirements documents
§ Configuration Management (Interim Configuration Manager)
• Ensure technical baseline integrity
• Facilitate change control processes
• Create documentation standards by implementing and
enforcing workflows, policies and procedures
• Maintain project documentation and drawing archives
What is the GMT?
§ Will be one member of the next class of super giant earth-based telescopes
§ Will have 7 primary mirror segments with a total collecting area of 368 square meters
§ Will have a resolving power 10 times greater than the Hubble Space Telescope
www.gmto.org

14. Panel Member: Kayla Hardie
Previously, Systems Engineering and
Project Management Support Associate
at Gemini Observatory
§ Integration and Test support for the
Gemini Planet Imager PM/SE
§ Project Initiation support for several
Gemini Projects
§ Documentation Management
Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Leadership, Spanish minor
Biggest lessons learned – communicate, build relationships, accommodate
others and learn to use your tools!
Pursing a Masters of Science in Systems Engineering

15. Senior Software Engineer
Operations Support
Nighttime/Daytime troubleshooting support and fault investigation
Real-Time Control Systems
Motion control for highly accurate beam steering
Team Lead for Gemini North Software Operations Team
Base Facility Operations
Working with teams of multidisciplinary engineers to plan and implement all of the
changes/automation necessary to safely operate the telescope from sea level.
Panel Member: Angelic Ebbers

16. Panel Member: Angelic Ebbers
Career Progression:
1996-1998 Herzberg Institute of
Astrophysics (HIA) Dominion Radio
Astrophysical Observatory (DRAO) –
Operations Team
1998-2003 HIA Dominion
Astrophysical Observatory (DAO) –
Instrument development Team
Learned Motion Control .. Built two
instruments for Gemini (GMOS and
Altair)
2004-Present Gemini Observatory -
Software Operations Team
Education: Hybrid Scientist/Engineer
Undergraduate was a double major in Computer Science and
Physics with a minor in Astronomy
Graduate work in Radio Astronomy convinced me that
research was not my strength .. Software development was ..
But I love Astronomy!
Career Goal became Software Support for Astronomy

17. What do engineers do in astronomy?
Activity
Find a partner or two!
Open up the Activity Booklet. Read each Narrative and
decide which engineering discipline it represents.
Engineers will be walking around to answer questions and
help out.
Once finished, raise your hand to get an answer key.

18. What is next for engineers in astronomy?
Extremely Large Telescopes
7 – 15x the light gathering power of the largest existing telescopes
Higher angular resolution
All will see first light in mid-2020’s
Thirty Meter Telescope
(TMT)
European Extremely Large
Telescope
(E-ELT)
Giant Magellan Telescope
(GMT)
Credits (left to right): TMT International Observatory; ESO/L. Calçada; GMT

19. What is next for engineers in astronomy?
Other Boundary-Pushing Telescopes
Deep Sky Surveys
Exoplanets
Transients
Large Synoptic Survey
Telescope
(LSST)
Atacama Large
Millimeter/Submillimeter
Array (ALMA)
James Webb Space
Telescope
(JWST) …
…and many other
international
space-based
missions
Credits (left to right): LSST; ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO); Northrop Grumman

20. What is next for engineers in astronomy?
Sophisticated Adaptive Optics
(AO)
Complex Science Instruments
Enable ground-based telescopes to correct for
atmospheric turbulence and achieve image quality
equivalent to space-based telescopes.
Enable science on any telescope by performing
imaging and spectroscopy using established and
emerging technologies. Science instruments are
designed for specific science requirements.
Laser Tomography AO (LTAO)
Ground Layer AO (GLAO)
Multi-Conjugate AO (MCAO)
Extreme AO (ExAO)
Multi-Object AO (MCAO)
Too many to list!
Many instruments are currently in design and
development for the ELTs and also for existing
telescopes.
Credits (left to right): Gemini; TMT; GMT; GMT; ESO

21. What is next for engineers in astronomy?
Credits: TMT International Observatory

22. Thank You!
Thank you to the following organizations for participating in SWE this year:
Gemini Observatory www.gemini.edu
Thirty Meter Telescope International Observatory www.tmt.org
Giant Magellan Telescope www.gmto.org
European Southern Observatory www.eso.org
Large Synoptic Survey Telescope www.lsst.org
National Solar Observatory www.nso.edu
Space Telescope Science Institute www.stsci.edu
Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy www.aura-astronomy.org