Candidate Statement: Jeremy J. Drake

jeremy_drake_4x6.jpg


Nominated Office: Nominating Committee

Affiliation: Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

Position/title: Senior Astrophysicist

PhD institution: University of Oxford (1989)

Areas of scientific interest:

  • High energy stellar physics, star formation and evolution, protoplanetary disks
  • Solar physics
  • Stellar atmospheres, stellar compositions, stellar coronae, magnetic activity and rotation
  • Exoplanets, star-planet interaction, interdisciplinary research
  • Cataclysmic variables and novae
  • High Energy Astrophysics, high resolution astrophysical X-ray and EUV spectroscopy, EUV and X-ray instrumentation
  • Atomic data; spectroscopic plasma diagnostics and emission models

AAS positions & dates:

  • AAS member since 1990
  • AAS SPD member since 1995
  • AAS HEAD member since 1995

Other relevant positions and experience:

  • Service on numerous telescope time allocation committees and NASA program and proposal review committees
  • Service for several international agencies and advisory committees, including the UK Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council, the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council, European Research Council, Austrian Science Fund, Italian Space Agency, Czech Research Council, US-Israel Binational Science Foundation, Indian Institute of Astrophysics
  • Associate Editor of the Journal of Scientific Exploration

Candidate Statement: Working with a broad spectrum of people, from high school students on up, has taught me that talent to lead, inspire and innovate can come from anywhere - scientists with different experience levels in universities and colleges small and large, government institutes, research laboratories and even the private sector. The key is to recognize it, and make sure that the leadership our society needs reflects not just its current membership but also the future diversity we strive for. Those who have already gained recognition in one way or another can be obvious candidates. But the challenge that is seldom met and that I would like to tackle is also to look beyond the obvious rubric and beyond the loudest voices. I work with a major observatory, dealing on a day-to-day basis with our broad community and trying to maximize the scientific gain from the mission. I would like to do this for the AAS mission too.