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 a super smart scientist who studies space (an astrophysicist) and designs things that fly (an aerospace engineer). She also helps make sure science is correct in movies and TV shows. You might know her from her YouTube channel, "Dr. Erin Explains the Universe." She loves to teach about STEM using popular movies and shows.
Contents
How Erin Became a Scientist
Erin was inspired to study science by characters like Dana Scully from The X-Files and Kathryn Janeway from Star Trek: Voyager. She even mentioned Captain Janeway in her Ph.D. paper!
Her College Journey
Erin started her college studies at the University of New Mexico. Later, she moved to the University of Colorado Boulder. There, she earned two bachelor's degrees: one in astrophysics (the study of stars and space) and another in mathematics.
After that, she went to the University of Glasgow in Scotland. She earned her Ph.D. there, focusing on general relativity. This is a big idea from Albert Einstein about how gravity works.
Early Work in Science
After getting her Ph.D., Erin worked on a huge science project called LIGO. This project tries to find "gravitational waves." These are like ripples in space and time caused by massive events, like black holes crashing together. She specifically looked for waves from a spinning star called the Crab Pulsar.
She continued her work with LIGO at Cardiff University in Wales. It was a big deal because she was the first woman researcher in her department there! While in Cardiff, she joined an acting workshop. This helped her learn how to explain complicated science in a fun and easy way for everyone to understand.
Erin's first job after leaving university research was at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. She also taught science classes at local colleges. Later, she started working in the aerospace industry. There, she analyzed data for things like rockets and planes.
Sharing Science with Everyone
Erin wanted a job that was more balanced than full-time research. She found that she could still teach by giving talks and leading courses. She also spoke at science fiction conventions. She realized these events let her meet students and kids who might be inspired by her unique style.
Science at Conventions
Erin decided not to stay in academic research. Instead, she started giving talks at science fiction conventions. She would connect real science to the fictional worlds her audience loved. For example, she used the cartoon Voltron: Legendary Defender to teach about spacetime. She has spoken at popular conventions like Awesome Con and Dragon Con. This led her to meet and work with writers in the entertainment industry.
Helping Hollywood with Science
Erin moved to Los Angeles, California, which is where a lot of movies and TV shows are made. She works with writers and producers in Hollywood. Her job is to make sure the science in their shows is as accurate as possible. For example, she was a science consultant for several episodes of a show called Orbital Redux.
In 2019, Erin created a course for Audible called "The Science of Science Fiction." It teaches listeners about the real science behind their favorite sci-fi stories.
Star Trek Science Consultant
In late 2019, Erin became a science consultant for the famous Star Trek universe. She works with the people who create all the different Star Trek shows and movies. She helps them make sure the science in the stories makes sense. She even had small acting parts (called cameo appearances) in the first and second seasons of Star Trek: Prodigy. In 2023, she also appeared in a Star Trek Online video game update. In these appearances, she played a character named "Dr. Erin Macdonald," just like her real name!
