David Ardila

Experience

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  Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  Jan 1995 - Dec 1995

  Laboratory Assistant

  As part of the Purdue University team developing the Solenoidal Tracker at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (a nuclear physics experiment in use at Brookhaven National Laboratory:• Designed and implemented testing procedures for detector parts, wrote software to computer-control devices measuring different characteristics of the device (such as electrical and physical integrity, mechanical soundness).

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  Space Sciences Laboratory, UC Berkeley

  Jun 1999 - Aug 2002

  Laboratory Assistant

  As part of the development team for the NASA's Reuven Ramati High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager satellite (RHESSI):o Tested the spacecraft's data collection systems, extracted telemetry information from data streams, and processed scientific data. Responsible for designing robust, reliable, and clear software for use by the satellite's end user.

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  Johns Hopkins University

  Sept 2002 - May 2005

  Postdoctoral Researcher

  As part of the instrument team of the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), an instrument onboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST): o Identified scientific problems amenable to solution using ACS. Designed, carried-out, analyzed, and published HST's optical and near-infrared observations. Emphasis on high-contrast observations to detect faint objects close to bright stellar sources. Results showcased in the popular press (e.g. NYTimes, 12/21/04; Scientific American, 04/2004).o Performed dynamical and radiative modeling, and simulations of plasma shocks in young stars, to understand X-ray and UV emission. Show less

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  Spitzer Science Center, California Institute of Technology

  Jan 2005 - Jan 2008

  Research Scientist

  With the Spitzer Space Observatory, an infrared telescope and one of NASA’s Great Observatories:o Designed and executed protocols for the calibration of Spitzer’s Infrared Spectrograph and for the Peak- Up Imager, to 5% total errors. Monitored the health and safety of the instruments resulting in 3% fewer pointing failures.o Served as liaison between the spectrograph and the user support groups, resulting in improved communications and relationships between the two.o Rewrote the Observers' Manual (the document describing spectrograph operations) and wrote the Data Handbook, explaining how to use the spectrograph's data, opening Spitzer to a very wide astronomer’s audience. Show less

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  NASA Herschel Science Center, California Institute of Technology

  Mar 2009 - Aug 2014

  Science Operations Management:• As user-support coordinator, supported Herschel users via a Helpdesk system, organized workshops, webinars, and professional conferences, and curated NHSC web portals for researchers.• Responsible for efforts to increase the use and visibility of Herschel.• Initiated and maintained strong contacts between the US Astronomical community and the NHSC.Systems Engineering and Project Management:• Performed trade-off analysis of spacecraft observing procedures, in order to increase efficiency and performance. Developed and implemented new observing procedures and data processing techniques. • Led the Herschel Archive Group, an ESA-based, project-wide working group to track the development and requirement compliance of the ESA Herschel Archive. • Designed, coordinated, and carried out acceptance test campaigns for the data processing system used by Herschel. These involved coordination and control of a team of ~20 people distributed all over the world. The Jython-based software is used by ~2000 astronomers worldwide• Developed technical requirements and testing procedures for the Herschel Science Archive portal at NASA’s Infrared Science Archive (IRSA).Business Development:• Prime co-author of response to NASA's Science Requirements in future UV/Visible Astrophysics Concepts • Defined and negotiated Herschel data agreements between the Herschel Science Centre (HSC) and NHSC, resulting in a significant expansion of NASA’s infrared data holdings. Show less Science Operations Management:• Prime contact between NASA's Herschel Science Center and ESA's Herschel Science Centre for managerial coordination of the Herschel Space Observatory. Participation in Herschel’s management boards (configuration control, science operations, data management) to ensure that tasks and human resources are allocated consistently with mission objectives and constraints.• Evaluated the performance of the Herschel science ground segment and reported to ESA and NASA user review boards. Developing of Mission Concepts:• Prime Co-author for the study “High Orbit Ultraviolet/Visible Satellite” (PI Scowen), submitted to NASA for the Study on Applications of Large Space Optics (RFI-SALSO, Nov. 2012).• Prime Co-author for the study "The New Worlds Imager coronagraph” (PI Trauger).• Provided technical expertise in science requirements to the WFIRST AFTA Science Definition Team Remote Sensing:• Characterized and calibrated IR detectors for Herschel, Spitzer and Hubble. See Ardila et al. , Spitzer Atlas of Stellar Spectra, ApJ, 2013; Bohlin et al., Absolute Flux Calibration of the IRAC Instrument with Hubble Space Telescope Flux Standards, ApJ, 2011• Performed image processing in the UV, Optical, and IR: data reduction, coronagraphic processing, 1/f noise correction, noise reduction, response deconvolution • Extracted physical information from IR observations via hyperspectral analytics and data simulations. Expertise in spectroscopic properties of dust and gas, Bayesian statistics, celestial mechanics, and plasma behavior in the astrosphere Show less

  • Archive Scientist / User Support Coordinator

    Apr 2013 - Aug 2014

  • Research Scientist

    Aug 2009 - Jul 2014

  • Liaison astronomer

    Mar 2009 - Apr 2013
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  European Space Agency - European Space Astronomy Centre

  Apr 2009 - Apr 2013

  Liaison astronomer, Herschel Science Centre
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  The Aerospace Corporation

  Aug 2014 - Apr 2017

  Senior Member of Technical Staff

  Remote Sensing Department:o Scientific leadership for small satellite missions.o Development of new cubesat concepts for astrophysics, earth observation, and space situational awareness.o Project Scientist for the Cubesat Multispectral Observation System (CUMULOS).o Program Management for the calibration and testing of a variety of visible and infrared payloads.

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  NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

  May 2017 - now

  * Project Area Manager for NN-EXPLORE (https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exep/NNExplore/);* Instrument Scientist for SPARCS (Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat); * Instrument Scientist for competed concepts;* Mission Manager for NASA's K2 Mission; * Capture Lead for NASA's Mission of Opportunity CASE (Contribution to ARIEL Spectroscopy of Exoplanets); * Data Analysis Developer for AVIRIS (Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrograph)

  • Deputy Manager

    Apr 2024 - now

  • Technologist

    May 2017 - Apr 2024