Jill Tarter

Jill Tarter is a pioneer in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) field and the co-founder of the SETI Institute. An astronomer by training, she has been recognized as one of Time 100’s most influential people in the world, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Women in Aerospace, and was awarded two Public Service Medals from NASA, among other accolades. Tarter served as a scientist for NASA’s SETI program in addition to other roles. She is a frequent speaker on SETI issues, and elements of her work inspired Jodi Foster’s character in the movie “Contact.”