Yuki D. Takahashi

1160 Manhattan Beach Blvd Apt 4, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, USA

yukimoon @ alumni.caltech.edu http://alumnus.caltech.edu/~yukimoon +1-3105285560

 

OBJECTIVE         Through hands-on teamwork, build and test vehicles that enable affordable personal space travel.

 

EDUCATION

2002-2010

Ph.D., M.A. (2005)

Experimental Astrophysics

University of California, Berkeley

2001-2002

M.Sc. (UK Fulbright Award)

Physics & Astronomy

University of Glasgow

1997-2001

B.S. (GPA 3.85)

Physics

California Institute of Technology

1984-1997

Primary/middle schools in Japan; independently went to USA for high school, wanting to become an astronaut.

 

PROJECTS

2011-present

RF/EMI Engineer

SpaceX, Hawthorne, CA (William Elkman)

Electromagnetic compatibility & survivability for Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rockets.

Test radiated/conducted emissions/susceptibility of avionics and other hardware.

Protect spacecraft/rockets and their components/crew from lightning, electrostatic discharges, radiation, and other elements.

 

2003-2010

Graduate Researcher

UC Berkeley (Prof. William Holzapfel) / Caltech (Dr. John Kovac) / JPL

South Pole telescope experiment: Search for inflationary gravitational waves through cosmic microwave polarization.

Built and deployed a novel telescope at South Pole as a principal member of a 10-member team to study the Big Bang.

Designed and built the telescope baffle, vacuum window, star pointing camera, and precision calibration devices.

Integrated motors, encoders, amplifiers, interlocks, and Programmable Multi-Axis Controller interface into a functional system.

Built size-restricted electronics w/ electrostatic protection and heat dissipation considerations in dry low-pressure environment.

Worked at South Pole for 9 months over the 3 years of successful operation, from deployment to decommissioning.

 

2002/Aug-Dec

Team Scientist

Universities Space Research Association (Dr. Michael Duke)

Astronaut-Aided Construction of a Large Lunar Telescope, NASA Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts study.

Conducted a study with engineers for NASA Langley Research Center in a 5-member team.

Investigated the rationale, requirements, and design for a telescope on the Moon.

 

2001-2002

US-UK Fulbright Researcher

University of Glasgow (Dr. Graham Woan)

Proposal for a radio observatory on the Moon (M.Sc. thesis)

Investigated the scientific motivations, design, and the best sites for a Moon based telescope mission.

Presented findings at 5 international conferences and published a refereed paper and a thesis.

 

2000/Jun-Sep

Research Fellow

Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Dr. Charles Beichman, NASA Origins Chief Scientist)

Cosmology proposal team: Quantified photometric redshift accuracy achieved by the Space Infrared Telescope Facility.

 

1998-1999

Research Fellow

Caltech Pulsar Group (Dr. Shri Kulkarni)

Millisecond pulsar search: Developed an analysis tool for Arecibo Observatory data, which led to discovery of 5 new pulsars.

 

SKILLS

Mechanical:

SolidWorks, AutoCAD, finite element stress analysis. Machining, TIG/MIG/MMA/oxyfuel welding.

Electronics:

Circuit design & simulation (OrCAD Pspice). Multi-layer PCB design (Protel) & assembly.

Radio:

Microwave transmission/reflection measurements, spectroscopy, interferometry. FEMLAB/FDTD simulations.

Optics:

Designing; integrating lenses, mirrors, baffles, filters, and CCD. Laser lab.

Other:

Handling LHe, LN, vacuum pumps, leak detectors, residual gas analyzer. Nuclear/atomic/chemistry lab.

Analysis:

Matlab, IDL, Mathematica, Maple; Perl, C.

Emergency:

CPR, Heartsaver AED, trauma emergency response team at South Pole Station (2006-2008).

Language:

English (fluent), Japanese (native), Russian (intermediate).

 

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

2004-2008

Executive Committee, Lunar Explorers Society

Led a multinational team to form a group to inspire people through the Moon.

2003-2007

Lead, Young Lunar Explorers task force, International Lunar Exploration Working Group (ILEWG)

2006 Beijing: Organized a gathering of young conference participants for international discussion.

2004 India: Generated youth's recommendations for ILEWG.

2003 Hawaii: Gave a speech on youth perspective on exploration of the Moon.

2003

International Space University Summer Session, France

Led a multidisciplinary team of members from 9 varied countries for a project on lunar exploration. Presented the outcome at the International Lunar Conference as the representative of the 50-member team.

2002-2011

Space Generation Advisory Council (Point of Contact, Japan)

2007: Led a Lunar Explorers Society project for the Space Generation Congress.

2000-2001

President of Caltech SEDS (Students for the Exploration & Development of Space)

For >400 members, organized star parties, public NASA-TV viewing, Yuri's Night, observatory/planetarium tours, JPL Cassini Flight Operation visit, Telescope Makers Conference and Space Frontiers Conference, etc.

Formed and led a team to construct a science-grade CCD camera setup for the campus telescope.

2000-2001

Team Lead, Lunar Telescope Mission Proposal Project, Caltech SEDS & Mars Society

Formed and led a team to develop a joint lunar telescope & Mars mission. Led to my MSc research.

 

OTHER PROJECTS / ACTIVITIES

2008-Present

Co-Founder, Innovations to Society non-profit

2003-Present

Board of Directors, International Lunar Observatory Association

2006

NASA Planetary Science Summer School, Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Selected as one of 18 nationwide)

2001-2002

International Academy of Astronautics "Lunar Farside Radio Laboratory" study team

2001

NASA Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunity, Johnson Space Center, Houston

1999

Intern, Tsukuba Space Center, Japan (Dr. Takahiro Iwata, Assoc. Sr. Engineer, Lunar Mission Laboratory)

Studied mission design for setting up an optical telescope on the Moon. Presented to SELENE team.

Scuba diving (NAUI, BSAC), paragliding, tennis (team 1991-2001), swimming (team 1995-1997), community service.

 

TEACHING / MENTORING

2007-2010

Mentor for 3 undergraduate physical sciences majors, Compass Project, UC Berkeley

2004-2008

Project ASTRO Astronomer, Astronomical Society of the Pacific (Taught a class of 4-6th graders w/ a teacher.)

2003/Fall

Physics for Scientists & Engineers (50 students), UC Berkeley

2003/Spring

Physics for Future Presidents (50 non-science majors), UC Berkeley

2003/Spring

Communicating Science, Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley (Taught 30 sixth-graders weekly.)

2001-2002

Astronomy Honours Laboratory Demonstrator, University of Glasgow Observatory

2001/Spring

Astronomy 1 (Prof. Nick Scoville), Caltech

1994-1997

Assistant, Young Astronaut Program, Michigan

 

AWARDS

* NASA Student Ambassador to the International Astronautical Congress (2010, Praha) - one of 6 nationwide.

* NASA Student Ambassador to the International Astronautical Congress (2009, Daejeon) - one of 10 nationwide.

* Space Visionary Award (2008, Cape Canaveral)

* NASA Student Ambassador to the International Astronautical Congress (2008, Glasgow) - one of 16 nationwide.

* NASA Student Ambassador to the International Astronautical Congress (2006, Valencia) - one of 14 nationwide.

* Young Lunar Explorer Award, International Lunar Exploration Working Group (2003, Hawaii)

* Fulbright Award (2001-2002, UK, one of 17 out of ~500 applicants) - to learn about a new part of the world.

* National Security Education Program Scholarship (1999, Russia) - to learn about the Russian space program and study Russian.

* Valedictorian (1997) *Distinguished Science Student Award (1997) * First Step to Nobel Prize in Physics (1997)

 

REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

BICEP Telescope at the South Pole. PhD Thesis, UC Berkeley, 2010.

Takahashi et al. Characterization of the BICEP Telescope for High-Precision Cosmic Microwave Background Polarimetry. Astrophysical J., 711, 1141, 2010.

Chiang et al. Measurement of CMB Polarization Power Spectra from Two Years of BICEP Data. Astrophysical J., 711, 1123, 2010.

Takahashi et al. CMB polarimetry with BICEP: instrument characterization, calibration, and performance. Proc. SPIE, 7020, 2008.

Yoon et al. The Robinson Gravitational Wave Background Telescope (BICEP). Proc. SPIE, 6275, 2006.

A Concept for a Simple Radio Observatory at the Lunar South Pole. Advances in Space Research 31, 11: 2473-2478, 2003.

New Astronomy from the Moon: A Lunar Based Very Low Frequency Radio Array. MSc Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2003.

 

PRESENTATIONS

BICEP: a Cosmic Microwave Background Polarization Telescope at the South Pole. International Astronomical Union, Brasil, 2009.

Analogs between Antarctica and the Moon. International Astronautical Congress, Glasgow, 2008.

Galaxy Observer's Guide to the South Pole. Galaxy Forum Canada, Vancouver, 2008.

Antarctic-Lunar Analog: from a South Pole Astrophysics Experience to Planning for Projects on the Moon. ISCOPS, Beijing, 2007.

Young Lunar Explorers Group and its First Project Results. International Astronautical Congress, Valencia, 2006.

International Lunar Organization: Connecting Lunar Explorers. International Lunar Conference 2003, p.509, 2004.

A Lunar Based Very Low Frequency Radio Array. World Space Congress, Houston, 2002.

Call for Cooperation between Lunar Scientists and Astronomers. The Moon Beyond 2002, p.59, 2002.

A Lunar Far Side Radio Array as the First Astronomical Observatory on the Moon. European Geophysical Society G.A., Nice, 2002.

Precursor Studies of Radio Wave Propagation around the Moon. New Views of the Moon, Europe. ESTEC RSSD, Noordwijk, 2002.

Poster at ESA Student Outreach Programme, International Astronautical Congress, Toulouse, 2001.

 

Citizenship:              USA, Japan.