November 14, 2023, Mountain View, CA - Dr. Franck Marchis, a senior planetary astronomer at the SETI Institute, was appointed as a 2023 Fellow by the California Academy of Sciences (Cal Academy). Recognized for his exceptional contributions to the natural sciences, Marchis joins a distinguished group of scientists, including other notable SETI Institute Fellows of Cal Academy, such as Dr. Jill Tarter, Dr. Nathalie Cabrol, Dr. Seth Shostak, and Trustee Andrew Fraknoi.
“As an astronomer, I am constantly amazed by the vastness and complexity of the universe,” said Marchis. “The California Academy of Sciences is a beacon of scientific exploration, igniting our imaginations and inspiring generations of scientists to push the boundaries of knowledge. I am honored to be a part of this extraordinary community. As a Fellow of Cal Academy, I am committed to using my expertise to support its mission of preserving the natural world and inspiring a lifelong love of science.”
Marchis, also Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder at Unistellar, specializes in studying our solar system, particularly the search for asteroids with moons, using ground-based telescopes equipped with adaptive optics. Beyond his research, he is deeply involved in public outreach and citizen science initiatives at the SETI Institute, engaging in events like SETI Talks, SETI Live, and collaborations with SETI Artists-in-Residence. He actively contributes to scientific research projects involving amateur astronomers, covering areas such as exoplanet detection and asteroid characterization with adaptive optics, and traveling the world to record celestial phenomena such as occultations and eclipses.
The asteroid (6639) was named Marchis in honor of his discovery of the first triple-asteroid system in 2007.
Fellowships at Cal Academy play a vital role in extending its impact on research, public engagement, and education, fostering collaborative efforts with researchers and staff.
More information about California Academy of Sciences Fellows can be found here: https://www.calacademy.org/scientists/academy-fellows
About the SETI Institute
Founded in 1984, the SETI Institute is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary research and education organization whose mission is to lead humanity's quest to understand the origins and prevalence of life and intelligence in the universe and share that knowledge with the world. Our research encompasses the physical and biological sciences and leverages data analytics, machine learning, and advanced signal detection technologies. The SETI Institute is a distinguished research partner for industry, academia, and government agencies, including NASA and the National Science Foundation.
Contact
Rebecca McDonald
Director of Communications
SETI Institute
rmcdonald@seti.org
