About

I am a Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Texas at San Antonio, an Affliate Faculty member of the UTSA School of Data Science, and project leader for the UTSA space sector visioning effort.

Previously, I was Dean of the UTSA College of Sciences (2019 – 2024) and Director of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), the NSF's national observatory for ground-based optical-infrared astronomy.

NOAO developed, built, and operated astronomical telescopes, instruments, and data systems in Arizona and Chile. During my directorship, NOAO and its partners implemented the Community Science and Data Center (home of the Astro Data Lab), the U.S. Extremely Large Telescope Program, the Dark Energy Survey (DES), and the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). In 2020, NOAO assets were merged into the NSF's National Optical Infrared Laboratory, NOIRLab. I co-led the team that developed the baseline concept and implementation plan that was approved by NSF.

I am a leader in the design, development, and operation of observatories, telescopes, focal-plane instruments, and data systems for the American, European, and South American astronomical research communities. I have served on various international governance and review boards as well as held positions in the American Astronomical Society and the International Astronomical Union.