People of IPAC: New Leaders, New Roles, New Staff

There were many changes in the IPAC team in 2021. We filled 22 positions with people who either joined IPAC afresh or with existing staff  who transitioned to new roles. There were also leadership changes with Vandana Desai and Phil Appleton assuming the roles of Head of Science Staff (HoSS) and Deputy HoSS respectively. Jessie Christensen was appointed Project Scientist and Doug McElroy Task Lead for the NASA Exoplanet Archive. Ben Rusholme became Task Lead for the Zwicky Transient Facility Data System effort at IPAC. 

Personnel joining IPAC or assuming new roles included:

• Alavi, Anahita – Staff Scientist (ENSCI)
• Avner, Dan  – Applications Developer (SPHEREx)
• Barboza, Karina – Data Systems Operator (NEOWISE)
• Cale, Bryson – NPP Postdoc (Charles Beichman)
• Cochran, Ethan Matthew – Research Technician (Ranga-Ram Chary)
• Duggan, Gina Elizabeth – Applications Developer (Roman)
• Finner, Kyle – Postdoc (Ranga-Ram Chary)
• Greenbaum, Alexandra Z. – Staff Scientist (Roman)
• Jafariyazani, Marziye – Postdoc (Dan Masters)
• Kesseli, Aurora  – Staff Scientist (NExScI)
• Lai, Thomas Postdoc (Lee Armus)
• Laity, Anastasia – Applications Developer (IRSA)
• Marocco, Federico – Staff Scientist (NEO Surveyor)
• McCarthy, Kevin – NPP Postdoc (Yun Wang)
• Mehtha, Vihang – Postdoc (Harry Teplitz)
• Morishita, Takahiro – Staff Scientist (Roman)
• Nilsson, Ricky – Applications Developer (NExScI)
• Pina-Muro, Daniel (Pina) – Systems Administrator (ISG Support)
• Sipocz, Brigitta – Applications Developer (Tech Initiatives and IRSA)
• Walth, Gregory – Staff Scientist (Roman)
• Wold, Avery- Pipeline Operator (ZTF)
• Zhang, De Shi – Applications Developer (Roman)

We also said goodbye to a few valued members of our staff who retired or transitioned to other opportunities. We wish for a long and joyful retirement to long-time IPACers Bill Glaccum (joined IPAC in February 2001) and Ron Beck (an IPACer since June 1997).