Geoffrey A. Landis

Geoffrey A. Landis

Geoffrey Landis at a science fiction convention in Amsterdam, 2006
Born May 28, 1955 (1955-05-28) (age 56)
Detroit, Michigan
Occupation scientist, author
Nationality United States
Education New Trier High School, Winnetka, Illinois
Alma mater Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Brown University
Genres Science fiction
Notable award(s) Hugo Award
Nebula Award
Locus Award
Rhysling Award
www.geoffreylandis.com

Geoffrey A. Landis (born May 28, 1955, Detroit, Michigan) is an American scientist, working for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on planetary exploration, interstellar propulsion, solar power and photovoltaics.[2][3] He has patented eight designs for solar cells and photovoltaic devices[4] and has given presentations and commentary on the possibilities for interstellar travel and construction of bases on the Moon and Mars.[5]

Supported by his scientific background Landis also writes hard science fiction.[6] For these writings he has won a Nebula Award, two Hugo Awards, and a Locus Award, as well as two Rhysling Awards for his poetry.[7] He contributes science articles to various academic publications.

Contents

Biography

Landis was born in Detroit, Michigan and lived in Virginia, Maryland, Philadelphia, and Illinois during his childhood. His senior education was at New Trier High School, Winnetka, Illinois.[2] He holds undergraduate degrees in physics and electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a PhD in solid-state physics from Brown University.[2] He is married to science fiction writer Mary A. Turzillo and lives in Berea, Ohio.[3]

Career

After receiving his doctorate at Brown University, Landis worked at the NASA Lewis Research Center (now Nasa Glenn) and the Ohio Aerospace Institute before accepting a permanent position at the NASA John Glenn Research Center,[3] where he does research on Mars missions,[5] solar energy,[8] and interstellar propulsion.[9] He holds eight patents,[4] and has authored or co-authored more than 300 published scientific papers[10] in the fields of astronautics and photovoltaics. He was a member of the Rover team on the Mars Pathfinder mission,[11] and named the Mars rock, "Yogi".[12] He is a member of the science team on the 2003 Mars Exploration Rovers mission.[9]

Landis was a fellow of the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts ("NIAC"), where he worked on a project investigating the use of laser- and particle-beam pushed sails for propulsion for interstellar flight.[13] In 2002 Landis addressed the annual convention of the American Association for the Advancement of Science on the possibilities and challenges of interstellar travel in what was described as the "first serious discussion of how mankind will one day set sail to the nearest star". Dr. Landis said, "This is the first meeting to really consider interstellar travel by humans. It is historic. We're going to the stars. There really isn't a choice in the long term." He went on to describe a star ship with a diamond sail, a few nanometres thick, powered by solar energy, which could achieve "10 per cent of the speed of light".[14]

Landis has commented on the practicalities of generating oxygen and creating building materials for a future Moon base in New Scientist,[15] and on the possibilities of using readily available metallic iron to manufacture steel on Mars.[16]

Academic Positions

In 2005-2006, he was named the Ronald E. McNair Visiting Professor of Astronautics at MIT,[17] and won the AIAA Abe M. Zarem Educator Award in 2007.[18] Landis has also been a faculty member of the International Space University; in 1998 he was on the faculty of the Department of Mining, Manufacturing, and Robotics in the Space Studies Program, and in 1999 he was on the faculty of the 12th Space Studies Program at the Suranaree University of Technology in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. and co-chair of the student project "Out of the Cradle."[19] He was also a guest lecturer at the ISU 13th Summer Session Program in Valparaíso, Chile.

As a writer, he was an instructor at at the Clarion Writers Workshop at Michigan State University in 2001.[20] He has been named as a guest instructor at the Launch Pad workshop for 2012.[21]

Writing

Science fiction

Landis first science fiction story, Elemental, appeared in Analog in December 1984, and received a nomination for a Hugo award[22] as well as earning him a nomination for the John W. Campbell award for Best New Writer. In the field of science fiction, Landis has published over 70 works of short fiction, and two books.[23][24] He won the 1989 Nebula Award for best short story for "Ripples in the Dirac Sea" (Asimov's Science Fiction, October 1988), the 1992 Hugo Award for "A Walk in the Sun" (Asimov's Science Fiction, October 1991), and the 2003 Hugo for his short story "Falling Onto Mars" (Analog Science Fiction and Fact, July/Aug 2002).

His first novel, Mars Crossing, was published by Tor Books in 2000, winning a Locus Award.[7] A short story collection, Impact Parameter (and Other Quantum Realities), was published by Golden Gryphon Press in 2001 and named as noteworthy by trade magazine Publishers Weekly.[25][26] He has also won the Analog Analytical Laboratory Award for the novelette The Man in the Mirror (2009)[27]. His 2010 novella The Sultan of the Clouds won the Sturgeon award for best short science fiction story[28], and was nominated for both the Nebula[29] and Hugo awards.[30]

He attended the Clarion Workshop in 1985, with other emerging SF writers such as Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Martha Soukup, William Shunn, Resa Nelson, Mary Turzillo and Robert J. Howe.

Poetry

Landis has also published a number of poems, most of it involving science fiction or science themes. He won the Rhysling Award twice, for his poems "Christmas, after we all get time machines" in 2000 (which also won the 2000 Asimov's Reader's Award for best poem[31]), and for "Search" in 2009.[32], and the Dwarf Stars Award in 2010, for the poem "Fireflies".[33] In 2009, he won the Hessler Street Fair poetry contest for his poem "Human Potential."[34]

His poetry collection Iron Angels was published in 2009.[35]

Major Awards

Other Writing

Landis has also written non fiction and popular science articles, encyclopedia articles and columns for a large range of publications, including Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Space Sciences, Asimov's Science Fiction, Spaceflight, and Science Fiction Age.[36] His article "The Demon Under Hawaii" won the Analog Analytical Laboratory Award for best science article in 1993.[27]

Works

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Gevers, Nick (October, 2001). "Quantum Realist: An interview with Geoffrey A Landis". Infinity Plus. http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/nonfiction/intgl.htm. Retrieved April 5, 2010. 
  2. ^ a b c "Geoffrey Landis, Physicist, NASA Glenn Research Center". Mars Exploration: Zip Code Mars. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. http://zipcodemars.jpl.nasa.gov/bio-contribution.cfm?bid=251&cid=232&pid=231&country_id=US&state_id=OH. Retrieved March 26, 2010. 
  3. ^ a b c "Geoffrey A. Landis". geoffreylandis.com. http://www.geoffreylandis.com/bio.html. Retrieved March 26, 2010. 
  4. ^ a b "Patent Search, Geoffrey Landis". USPTO Full Text and Image Database. US Patent Office. http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.htm&r=0&f=S&l=50&d=PTXT&RS=IN%2FGeoffrey+AND+IN%2FLandis&Refine=Refine+Search&Refine=Refine+Search&Query=IN%2FGeoffrey+AND+IN%2FLandis+and+In%2FA. Retrieved March 25, 2010. 
  5. ^ a b "Geoffrey Landis". NASA Glenn Academy for Space Exploration. NASA. June 24, 2009. http://academy.grc.nasa.gov/y2009/guest-speakers/geoffrey-landis. Retrieved March 25, 2010. 
  6. ^
  7. ^ a b
  8. ^ Landis, Geoffrey A. (February 2004). "Reinventing the Solar Power Satellite". Nasa Tm-2004-212743 (NASA, Glenn Research Center). http://gltrs.grc.nasa.gov/reports/2004/TM-2004-212743.pdf. 
  9. ^ a b "Goddard Engineering Colloquium Announcement, October 15, 2007". Goddard Space Flight Center. Greenbelt, Maryland. http://ecolloq.gsfc.nasa.gov/archive/2007-Fall/announce.landis.html. Retrieved March 25, 2010. 
  10. ^ "Geoffrey A. Landis". Selected Scientific and Technical Publications. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. October 2005. Archived from the original on June 10, 2008. http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20080610022256/http://mit.edu/aeroastro/www/people/landis/publications.html. 
  11. ^ Landis, Geoffrey A. (July–August 1998). "Adventures in the Mars Business". Analog Science Fiction and Fact (Dell Magazines). http://www.analogsf.com. 
  12. ^ "e-mail from Mars". July 1997. http://www.geoffreylandis.com/marsmail.htp. Retrieved December 27, 2010. 
  13. ^ "NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts Phase I studies". NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts. Atlanta, Georgia. http://www.niac.usra.edu/studies/4Landis.html. Retrieved December 27, 2010. 
  14. ^ Highfield, Roger (February 16, 2002). "Reach for the stars on a beam of light". Daily Telegraph (London: Telegraph Media Group). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1385077/Reach-for-the-stars-on-a-beam-of-light.html. Retrieved March 25, 2010. 
  15. ^ Marks, Paul (January 22, 2007). "Dose of crystals could make Moon base self-sufficient" (Subscription required). New Scientist (Reed Business Information) (2587). http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19325876.500-dose-of-crystals-could-make-moon-base-selfsufficient.html. Retrieved March 25, 2010. 
  16. ^ Hopkin, Michael (September 30, 2008). "Mars pioneers likely to produce their own steel" (Subscription required). The West Australian, archived at LexisNexis (Perth, Australia: West Australian Newspapers). http://www.lexisnexis.com/uk/nexis/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T8920374441&format=GNBFI&sort=BOOLEAN&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T8920374444&cisb=22_T8920374443&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=272908&docNo=12. Retrieved March 26, 2010. 
  17. ^ "MIT Aero-Astro: News & Events - enews". Massachusetts Institute of Technology. October 2005. http://web.mit.edu/aeroastro/news/enews/enews_2005_10.html. Retrieved March 25, 2010. 
  18. ^ AIAA Honors & Awards: Abe M. Zarem Educator Award recipients (accessed Sep. 2011
  19. ^ ISU Summer Session Program report Out of the Cradle report, Sept, 4 1999 (accessed 11 Sep. 2011)
  20. ^ "Clarion's Distinguished Alumni & Faculty". Clarion Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers' Workshop. The Clarion Foundation. http://clarion.ucsd.edu/alumni.html. Retrieved March 25, 2010. 
  21. ^ Mike Brotherton, Launch Pad 2012 Guest Instructor will be Geoffrey Landis August 29th, 2011
  22. ^ Locus Magazine, "Geoffrey A. Landis: Hands on Science", January 2000 online version here, accessed 11 Sept. 2011)
  23. ^ Staff (2011 [last update]). "Amazon.com: Geoffrey A. Landis: Books". amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books&field-author=Geoffrey%20A.%20Landis#/ref=sr_pg_1?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AGeoffrey+A.+Landis&sort=relevancerank&ie=UTF8&qid=1299881312. Retrieved 11 March 2011. This page lists a selection of Landis' works in print.
  24. ^ Landis}, Geoffrey (July 2010). "Geoffrey A. Landis Bibliography". geoffreylandis.com. http://www.geoffreylandis.com/G_Bibliography.html. Retrieved March 11, 2011. 
  25. ^ "Impact Parameter - Geoffrey Landis". Golden Gryphon Press. http://www.goldengryphon.com/ip-frame.html. Retrieved March 25, 2010. "This collection of his short stories, Landis's first, contains most of his award-nominated and award-winning stories, including the Hugo winner "A Walk in the Sun," a surreal survivor story set on Luna." 
  26. ^ "NASA Scientists Carol Stoker and Geoffrey Landis to Speak at Mars Society Convention". The Mars Society. http://www.marssociety.org/portal/nasa-scientists-carol-stoker-and-geoffrey-landis-to-speak-at-mars-society-convention/. Retrieved September 18, 2010. 
  27. ^ a b "Analog Analytical Laboratory Winners By Year". The Locus Index to SF Awards. Locus Publications. http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/AnLabWinsByYear.html. Retrieved March 26, 2010. 
  28. ^ a b Locus, McDonald and Landis Win Cambbell and Sturgeon Awards, July 2011 (access date August 21 2011)
  29. ^ Staff (2011 [last update]). "SFWA announces the 2010 Nebula Award Nominees". sfwa.org. http://www.sfwa.org/2011/02/2010-nebula-nominees/. Retrieved March 11, 2011. 
  30. ^ Locus, 2011 Hugo and Campbell Awards Winners (access date August 21 2011)
  31. ^ Locus Magazine, "Index to SF Awards," Asimov's Reader's Poll (accessed 11 Sep. 2011)
  32. ^ "SFPA Grand Masters and Rhysling Winners: 1978-2009". Science Fiction Poetry Association. http://www.sfpoetry.com/rhyslingarchive/pages/rhyswin.html. Retrieved March 26, 2010. 
  33. ^ Science Fiction Poetry Association, Dwarf Stars Awards (accessed 10 Sep. 2011)
  34. ^ T.M. Göttl, "Poets to grace the stage at 41st Annual Hessler Street Fair," Cleveland Poetry Examiner, May 22, 2010
  35. ^ "Iron Angels". Van Zeno Press page for Iron Angels. Van Zeno Press. http://www.vanzenopress.com/author_landis.htm. Retrieved December 27, 2010. 
  36. ^ "Geoffrey A. Landis - Popular science writing". Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Archived from the original on June 10, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080511011335/mit.edu/aeroastro/www/people/landis/nonfiction.html. Retrieved March 26, 2010. 

External links