Phone: (650) 604-3338
Fax: (650) 604-1984

Mailing Address:
SOFIA Science Center
NASA Ames Research Center
Mail Stop N232-12
P.O. Box 1
Moffett Field, CA 94035

SOFIA focus areas/responsibilities:

Support the build, delivery, commissioning and on-going observations and data analysis of the High-Resolution Mid-infrarEd Spectrometer (HIRMES), the Next-Generation Instrument for SOFIA. Lead an initiative to improve efficiencies in SOFIA’s Science & Mission Operations.

Research interests:

Coming from a background in optical/near-infrared multi-object integral-field spectroscopy for galaxy evolution studies, my interests now lie in the mid/far-infrared studies of star formation and protoplanetary evolution. I also work toward developments in astronomical instrumentation, and more efficient modes of operations.

Education:

PhD (Astronomy & Astrophotonics) University of Sydney 2016 [PhD Advisor: Prof. Joss Bland-Hawthorn]
BSc Hons (Astrophysics) University of Hertfordshire 2012

Professional Experience:

2018 – Present: Instrument Scientist, SOFIA Science Center
2017 – 2018: Mission Operations Specialist, SOFIA Operations Center

Highlight publications:

“SOFIA - HIRMES: Looking forward to the HIgh-Resolution Mid-infrarEd Spectrometer”
Richards et al., 2018, JAI, v7 i4

“The SAMI Galaxy Survey: can we trust aperture corrections to predict star formation?”
Richards et al., 2015, MNRAS, 455 (3)

“The Sydney-AAO multi-object integral field spectrograph”
Croom et al., 2012, MNRAS, 421 (1)

List of publications: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/#search/q=orcid%3A0000-0002-5368-0068