Dr. Birnbaum, who joined the SETI Institute’s Board of Directors in 2002, is a physicist, engineer, and technology executive. He spent 15 years working for IBM, and then became vice president at Hewlett-Packard. He was twice Director of H-P Labs, following in the footsteps of predecessor Barney Oliver.
A holder of degrees in engineering, computer science, physics, and business management, Birnbaum was a valuable voice on the Board, able to provide insights into program implementations and goals. He also generously contributed to SETI Institute activities by making his home available for multiple Institute events.