Erin Macdonald facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Erin Patricia Macdonald
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Macdonald in 2019
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| Education | B.A., Physics with Astrophysics B.A., Mathematics Ph.D., Astrophysics |
| Alma mater | University of Colorado Boulder University of Glasgow |
| Known for | Science communication Science fiction consultation |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astrophysics Gravitational waves Aerospace engineering |
| Institutions | SAIC |
| Thesis | From Upper Limits to Detection: Continuous Gravitational Waves in the Advanced Detector Era (2012) |
| Doctoral advisors | Graham Woan Ik Siong Heng |
Erin Macdonald is an astrophysicist, aerospace engineer, and science fiction consultant. She hosts the YouTube channel, Dr. Erin Explains the Universe. She teaches STEM using popular culture. She also advises people who create science fiction stories.
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Becoming a Scientist
Erin Macdonald was inspired to become a scientist by characters in TV shows. She especially liked Dana Scully and Kathryn Janeway. She even mentioned Captain Janeway in her Ph.D. paper!
Her Studies
Erin earned two bachelor's degrees from the University of Colorado Boulder. She studied astrophysics and mathematics. Later, she earned her Ph.D. (a high-level degree) from the University of Glasgow. There, she focused on general relativity, which is about how gravity works.
Early Work in Science
After her Ph.D., Erin worked on a big project called LIGO. This project tries to find gravitational waves, which are ripples in space. She was the first female researcher in her department at Cardiff University. During this time, she also joined an acting group. This helped her learn how to explain science better to everyone.
After working in universities, Erin got a job at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. She also taught at local colleges. Later, she started working with data in the aerospace industry.
Sharing Science with Everyone
Erin wanted a job that allowed her to have a better life balance. She found ways to keep teaching by speaking at conventions. She realized that these events let her inspire young people. She thought it was cool that a "punk-redhead woman covered in tattoos who also happens to have a PhD" could be a role model.
Science at Conventions
Erin started giving talks at science fiction conventions. She connects science facts to popular stories that fans love. For example, she used the show Voltron: Legendary Defender to teach about spacetime. She has spoken at big events like Awesome Con and Dragon Con. This led her to meet writers and producers in the entertainment world.
Helping Science Fiction Be More Real
Erin moved to Los Angeles to work in Hollywood. She helps writers and producers make their movies and shows more scientifically accurate. For example, she was a science advisor for the show Orbital Redux.
In 2019, she created a course for Audible about the science behind science fiction.
Star Trek Consultant
In late 2019, Erin became a science consultant for Star Trek. She works with the people who create Star Trek shows and movies. She even had small acting parts, called cameo appearances, in Star Trek: Prodigy. She also appeared in a Star Trek Online game update. In these roles, she played a character named "Dr. Erin Macdonald," just like her!
