Kent Cullers
Encyclopedia
Kent Cullers is an American astronomer, who was a manager of SETI
's Project Phoenix
. In 2005, he retired from the SETI Institute.
Cullers was born 1949 in El Reno, Oklahoma
, the son of an oil field engineer. His birth was premature and to save his life he was placed in an incubator filled with pure oxygen
. The excess oxygen damaged his retina
s, leaving him totally blind
. His father, a physicist, read astronomy books to Cullers as a child, influencing the boy's later aspirations. He grew up in Temple City, California
, where he was a highly ranked student. He first studied psychology
at nearby Pomona College
, but against great resistance changed his major to physics
midway through college. He received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Berkeley
in 1980. He is the first totally blind physicist in the United States, and is believed to be the first astronomer
who was blind from birth (although some astronomers have become blind in their old age, most notably Galileo Galilei
).
Kent Cullers worked for NASA
's Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) program upon graduating from Berkeley. From 1985 to 1990 he was the Targeted Search Signal Detection Team Leader with the SETI Institute
. He developed advanced computer algorithms for detection of continuous and pulsed signals originating from distant Earth-like planet
s.
From 1990 to March 1994 he was the Signal Detection Subsystem Manager for the High Resolution Microwave Survey
(HRMS) Project at NASA Ames Research Center
, Moffett Field, California. He supervised the development of hardware and software for signal detection for HRMS. From 1993 to March 1994 Cullers led the SETI Research & Technology effort and managed the upgrading and replication of all the digital data processing equipment for HRMS. NASA's HRMS Project was cancelled by the United States Congress
in October 1993, but Cullers still participated in Project Phoenix
, the SETI Institute's continuation of the Targeted Search portion of HRMS. He resigned from NASA in October 1995, and rejoined the SETI Institute as a Senior Scientist and Project Manager for Project Phoenix. Dr. Cullers retired from the SETI Institute in 2005.
Kent Cullers was the subject of a short documentary film produced by his wife, photographer Lisa Powers.
In 1997 he was portrayed by actor William Fichtner
as the fictional character Kent Clark in the movie Contact
.
SETI
The search for extraterrestrial intelligence is the collective name for a number of activities people undertake to search for intelligent extraterrestrial life. Some of the most well known projects are run by the SETI Institute. SETI projects use scientific methods to search for intelligent life...
's Project Phoenix
Project Phoenix (SETI)
Project Phoenix is a SETI project: a search for extraterrestrial intelligence by analyzing patterns in radio signals. It is run by the independently funded SETI Institute of Mountain View, California, USA....
. In 2005, he retired from the SETI Institute.
Cullers was born 1949 in El Reno, Oklahoma
El Reno, Oklahoma
El Reno is a city in Canadian County, Oklahoma, United States, in the central part of the state. A part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area, El Reno is west of downtown Oklahoma City...
, the son of an oil field engineer. His birth was premature and to save his life he was placed in an incubator filled with pure oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
. The excess oxygen damaged his retina
Retina
The vertebrate retina is a light-sensitive tissue lining the inner surface of the eye. The optics of the eye create an image of the visual world on the retina, which serves much the same function as the film in a camera. Light striking the retina initiates a cascade of chemical and electrical...
s, leaving him totally blind
Retinopathy of prematurity
Retinopathy of prematurity , previously known as retrolental fibroplasia , is an eye disease that affects prematurely-born babies. It is thought to be caused by disorganized growth of retinal blood vessels which may result in scarring and retinal detachment. ROP can be mild and may resolve...
. His father, a physicist, read astronomy books to Cullers as a child, influencing the boy's later aspirations. He grew up in Temple City, California
Temple City, California
Temple City is a city in Los Angeles County, California. Temple City is part of a cluster of cities, along with Arcadia, Rosemead, Monterey Park, San Marino, and San Gabriel, in the west San Gabriel Valley with a rapidly growing Asian population. Temple City also has a Cuban and Puerto Rican...
, where he was a highly ranked student. He first studied psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
at nearby Pomona College
Pomona College
Pomona College is a private, residential, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. Founded in 1887 in Pomona, California by a group of Congregationalists, the college moved to Claremont in 1889 to the site of a hotel, retaining its name. The school enrolls 1,548 students.The founding member...
, but against great resistance changed his major to physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
midway through college. He received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in 1980. He is the first totally blind physicist in the United States, and is believed to be the first astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
who was blind from birth (although some astronomers have become blind in their old age, most notably Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei , was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations and support for Copernicanism...
).
Kent Cullers worked for NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) program upon graduating from Berkeley. From 1985 to 1990 he was the Targeted Search Signal Detection Team Leader with the SETI Institute
SETI Institute
The SETI Institute is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to “explore, understand and explain the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe”. SETI stands for the "search for extraterrestrial intelligence". One program is the use of both radio and optical telescopes to search...
. He developed advanced computer algorithms for detection of continuous and pulsed signals originating from distant Earth-like planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
s.
From 1990 to March 1994 he was the Signal Detection Subsystem Manager for the High Resolution Microwave Survey
High Resolution Microwave Survey
The High Resolution Microwave Survey was a NASA project that was to scan ten million frequencies using radio telescopes. A decade in the making, the objective was to find transmissions from alien intelligences. The primary point of observation for the project was the Arecibo Ionaspheric Observatory...
(HRMS) Project at NASA Ames Research Center
NASA Ames Research Center
The Ames Research Center , is one of the United States of America's National Aeronautics and Space Administration 10 major field centers.The centre is located in Moffett Field in California's Silicon Valley, near the high-tech companies, entrepreneurial ventures, universities, and other...
, Moffett Field, California. He supervised the development of hardware and software for signal detection for HRMS. From 1993 to March 1994 Cullers led the SETI Research & Technology effort and managed the upgrading and replication of all the digital data processing equipment for HRMS. NASA's HRMS Project was cancelled by the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
in October 1993, but Cullers still participated in Project Phoenix
Project Phoenix (SETI)
Project Phoenix is a SETI project: a search for extraterrestrial intelligence by analyzing patterns in radio signals. It is run by the independently funded SETI Institute of Mountain View, California, USA....
, the SETI Institute's continuation of the Targeted Search portion of HRMS. He resigned from NASA in October 1995, and rejoined the SETI Institute as a Senior Scientist and Project Manager for Project Phoenix. Dr. Cullers retired from the SETI Institute in 2005.
Kent Cullers was the subject of a short documentary film produced by his wife, photographer Lisa Powers.
In 1997 he was portrayed by actor William Fichtner
William Fichtner
William Edward Fichtner is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Sheriff Tom Underlay on Invasion, as Alexander Mahone on Prison Break, as William Sharp in Armageddon, and as Ken Rosenberg in the video games Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.- Early life...
as the fictional character Kent Clark in the movie Contact
Contact (film)
Contact is a 1997 American science fiction drama film adapted from the Carl Sagan novel of the same name and directed by Robert Zemeckis. Both Sagan and wife Ann Druyan wrote the story outline for the film adaptation of Contact....
.