SETI Talks: A Celebration of Science, Art and Stargazing

Dr. Moiya McTier is an astrophysicist, folklorist, and science communicator. McTier was the first person to study both disciplines at Harvard and the first Black woman to earn an astronomy PhD at Columbia. Now McTier spreads knowledge through books and podcasts, incorporating as much humor and creativity as possible.

Dr. Uma Gorti, who joined SETI in 2008, studies star and planet formation. Her work focuses on understanding how planet-forming disks evolve and disperse, and on comparing models with observations from telescopes like JWST and ALMA. The studies aim to reveal the conditions for forming habitable planets in various star-forming environments.

Dr. Jenny Bergner is an Assistant Professor in Chemistry at UC Berkeley.  Her research is focused on understanding the chemical environment in which planets form, and how this shapes the compositions and potential habitability of newly formed solar systems.  

Mr. Forest Stearns is a visionary artist who produced the first art exhibit in Earth’s orbit and on quantum computers! As Principal Artist at Google Quantum AI, he champions artist-in-residence programs in nontraditional spaces, applying his vibrant illustrative practice to truly DRAWEVERYWHERE.

Dr. Franck Marchis is a planetary astronomer at the SETI Institute and Chief Scientific Officer of Unistellar. He specializes in asteroid research and exoplanet imaging. A prolific author and mentor, he is recognized for discovering the first triple-asteroid system, with asteroid (6639) named in his honor.

Ms. Pamela Harman, originally trained in civil engineering, is now helping build better opportunities for the next generation of engineers and scientists. As Director of Education, she works with researchers and educators, pooling expertise into professional development experiences for educators.   

Ms. Beth Johnson is a communications specialist and social media manager for the SETI Institute. She is the project manager and one of the co-hosts of the SETI Institute's weekly SETI Live show, which is livestreamed across social media platforms and released in podcast form.