User:Blackwell

John A. Blackwell

Background & Occupation:

Astronomy educator and director of the Phillips Exeter Academy (PEA) Grainger Observatory. My background includes software engineering, aviation, and astronomy.

Past: Spent 15 years as a software engineer working for companies ranging in size from 10 people to thousands. My skill sets include C, C++, JAVA, and a slew of scripting languages. Focal areas of my software engineering career have included desktop publishing, database generation, configuration management, release engineering, SNMP network management, and digital video.

Present: I teach astronomy and physics to high school students at PEA. My expertise is in research based science education and in research astronomy. My technical skills are numerous and include: observatory operations, design & construction, automation, CCD imaging, photometry, astrometry and software design/development. Offered at the Academy are internship programs for new astronomy teachers and a summer conference in astronomy education.

Specialties:
CCD astronomy: Photometry, astrometry, multiwavelength imaging.
Astronomical software design, development and testing.
Observatory design, construction and automation.
Remote Observatory design, construction, control, and automation.
Research based science education.
Lectures on specialized astronomy/astrophysics topics to multiple audience levels.

Telescope design, construction and use.

Education:
Masters of Astronomy, James Cook University.
B.S. Daniel Webster College.
Secondary School, Northfield Mount Hermon School.
Hobbies: Astrophotography, archery, aviation, hiking, ham radio, cooking, music, electronics, reading, writing.
Contact Information: John Blackwell (W1JAB) via EMail: johnb@regulusastro.com