Seth Shostak

Seth Shostak (born July 20, 1943) is an American astronomer, currently Senior Astronomer for the SETI Institute and former Director of Center for SETI Research when it was a separate department.

Biography
Shostak grew up in Arlington County, Virginia, and earned his B.S. in physics from Princeton University and a Ph.D. in astrophysics from the California Institute of Technology. Since 2001, he has been Senior Astronomer at the SETI Institute, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to "explore, understand and explain the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe". SETI Institute, located in Mountain View, California, employs over 50 researchers that study all aspects of the search for life, its origins, the environment in which life develops, and its ultimate fate. Shostak is an active participant in the Institute's observation programs and has been hosting SETI's weekly radio show Big Picture Science since 2002. Each week, Shostak interviews guests about the latest scientific research on a variety of topics: cosmology, physics, genetics, paleontology, evolutionary biology and astrobiology. Big Picture Science is distributed on the Public Radio Satellite System and the Public Radio Exchange and is available for download at the SETI Institute's website and through podcasts.

Shostak also hosts the monthly "Skeptic Check" show focused on debunking pseudoscience, UFOs and practices such as astrology and dowsing.

In 2010, he was elected as a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He was the Chair of the International Academy of Astronautics SETI Permanent Committee from 2003-2012. He has published four books, nearly 300 popular articles on astronomy, technology, film and television and gives frequent talks to both young and adult audiences.

Before his involvement with SETI research, he used radio telescopes in the USA and the Netherlands, searching for clues to the ultimate fate of the universe by analyzing galaxy motion. In 1999, he produced twelve 30-minute lectures on audio-tape and video titled "The Search for Intelligent Life in Space" for The Teaching Company.

Recognition
The 2004 winner of the Klumpke-Roberts Award awarded by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the public understanding and appreciation of astronomy.

In January 2010 he was elected as a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.

He has been an observer for Project Phoenix (SETI) as well as an active participant in various international forums for SETI research. He served as Chair of the International Academy of Astronautics SETI Permanent Study Group from 2002 to 2012.

Shostak has been nominated by the SETI Institute to be one of the USA Science and Engineering Festival's Nifty Fifty Speakers who will speak about his work and career to middle and high school students in October 2010.

Personal life
Shostak's hobbies include film making, railroading, and computer animation. While working at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands he founded DIGIMA, a computer animation company. He is a brother of Robert Shostak, developer of Paradox (database).

In the spring of 1988 Seth left Groningen to help his brother, who was then working on image database software in Silicon Valley.

According to his C.V., Shostak has a considerable body of creative writing, mostly for corporate clients. He was also "idea man" behind a plan to build a large space and technology theme park in The Netherlands and also the Air and Space Exhibit at the California Science Center, where he also serves on the board.