Collaboration, Mentorship, Connection
The Council’s vision is to create a rich and thriving ecosystem around CIERA that translates technological expertise into scientific progress and increases accessibility of advanced tools and cutting edge research.
Inaugural Council Members
Julie Hollek
Engineering Lead, HumaneIntelligence
Zach Hafen-Saavedra
Manager of Specialty Analytics, NU Medicine
Alex Post
Manager, AI Engineering, Slingshot Aerospace
Christina Paton
Tech Lead, Data Pipeline, Planet Labs
Lucas Secco
Senior Data Scientist, Code and Theory
Megha Manglani
Technical Program Manager, Google Cloud
Margaret Creagh
Analytics Developer, Baylor Scott & White Health
Angus Forbes
Strategic Researcher, NVIDIA
CIERA Tech Council Support Staff
Mission and Goals of the Tech Council
The mission of the CIERA Tech council is to connect the CIERA Community with the technology industry by…
(i) Identifying and evaluating emerging industry tools, platforms, and practices relevant to astrophysics research
(ii) Advising on industry-aligned skill development for astronomers
(iii) Translating academic research needs into industry-engaging opportunities
(iv) Dismantling the cultural and educational barriers between scientific inquiry and technical execution
(v) Serving as a trusted technical liaison between faculty and industry partners
By bridging industry expertise and academic inquiry, the Council creates meaningful opportunities for its members to shape the technical direction of CIERA’s programs while strengthening the pipeline between astrophysics and the broader technology landscape, accelerating scientific discovery and helping researchers successfully navigate the data-intensive landscape of astrophysics.