Zaven Arzoumanian
Director of Astronomy, Arecibo Observatory
Dr. Zaven Arzoumanian is the current Director of Astronomy at Arecibo Observatory and a Senior Research Scientist with the Universities Space Research Association (USRA). Zaven received his B.Sc. from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and his Ph.D. in Physics from Princeton University. His professional research interests include the astrophysics of neutron stars and black holes, gravitational physics, and instrumentation for X-ray astronomy and materials science. He is the Deputy Principal Investigator of a proposed X-ray telescope on the International Space Station, currently undergoing an engineering study and with an anticipated launch in August 2016. Zaven is also a founding Board member and current President of ECOCEAN USA, a 501(c)3 charity that promotes wildlife conservation through technology, research, and public engagement. He lives with his wife and two children in Greenbelt, MD
Abstract
I will describe the Observatory's current and future scientific programs in astronomy and planetary radar studies, with particular emphasis on how they address priorities of the recent community-driven Decadal Surveys in these fields.