Erin Macdonald
{{short description|American astrophysicist and aerospace engineer}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox scientist
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| name = Erin Patricia Macdonald
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| image = Dr. Erin Macdonald.jpg
| image_size = 190px
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| alt = Profile photo of Doctor Erin Macdonald in Indianapolis, November 2019
| caption = Macdonald in 2019
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| fields = Astrophysics
Gravitational waves
Aerospace engineering
| workplaces = SAIC
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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
| thesis_title = From Upper Limits to Detection: Continuous Gravitational Waves in the Advanced Detector Era
| thesis_url = http://theses.gla.ac.uk/3608/1/2012macdonaldphd.pdf
| thesis_year = 2012
| doctoral_advisors = Graham Woan
Ik Siong Heng
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| known_for = Science communication
Science fiction consultation
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| website = {{URL|www.erinpmacdonald.com}}
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Erin Macdonald is an astrophysicist, aerospace engineer, and science fiction consultant. She hosts the YouTube channel, Dr. Erin Explains the Universe, teaches STEM through popular culture, and consults with science fiction creators.{{R|"PT"}}{{R|"INC"}}
Education and early career
Macdonald credits fictional characters such as Dana Scully and Kathryn Janeway (the latter of whom she even acknowledges in her Ph.D. dissertation){{R|"EM"}} with providing the inspiration to pursue a science career.{{R|"ASME"}} She earned her bachelor's degrees in astrophysics and mathematics at the University of Colorado Boulder (after transferring there from the University of New Mexico) and her Ph.D. at the University of Glasgow, where she concentrated in general relativity.{{cn|date=June 2023}}
Macdonald did post-doctoral work with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) collaboration as part of an attempt to detect gravitational waves from the Crab Pulsar.{{R|"PT"}} She also did post-doctoral work at Cardiff University, still with LIGO,{{R|"PT"}} where she was the first female researcher in her department.{{R|"INC"}} During this period she became involved with the Actors Workshop, in Cardiff,{{R|"SYFY"}} which she credits with helping her efforts at science communication. Macdonald's first job after leaving academia was at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. She also began teaching at local community colleges and eventually found work analyzing data in the aerospace industry.{{R|"ASME"}}
Science communication
File:Erin Macdonald at Starbase Indy 2019.jpg 2019]]
While searching for a better work-life balance than that provided in research and academia, Macdonald found opportunities to still teach through a combination of conducting introductory courses and speaking at science fiction conventions. She would discover that these activities put her “in front of students and kids who may find inspiration in a punk-redhead woman covered in tattoos who also happens to have a PhD.”{{cn|date=June 2023}} After deciding not to pursue an academic research career, Macdonald began giving talks at science fiction conventions in the areas of her expertise that link the science to the various fandoms of her audience members. For example, she has used Voltron: Legendary Defender to teach about spacetime.{{cn|date=June 2023}} She has made appearances at such conventions as Awesome Con and Dragon Con.{{R|"PT"}} This led her to meeting and working with science fiction writers in the entertainment industry.{{R|"FTC"}}
Science fiction consultation
Macdonald moved to Los Angeles from Colorado and works with writers and producers in Hollywood to bring scientific accuracy to their productions. She has, for example, served as technical consultant on several episodes of Orbital Redux.{{R|"IMDB"}} In 2019, Macdonald produced a Great Courses course on the science of science fiction via Audible.{{cite web |title=Another One with Erin Macdonald |url=https://www.missionlogpodcast.com/another-one-with-dr-erin-macdonald/ |website=Mission Log Live |access-date=7 December 2019 |date=December 4, 2019 |archive-date=December 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191207195503/https://www.missionlogpodcast.com/another-one-with-dr-erin-macdonald/ |url-status=live }}
In late 2019, Macdonald became a science consultant for Star Trek. She works with producers and writers throughout the Star Trek franchise.{{cite web |title=Weekly Space Hangout |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g44eKQLfVtA |website=YouTube | date=January 15, 2020 |access-date=17 January 2020 |archive-date=March 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200306230455/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g44eKQLfVtA |url-status=live }} She also had cameo appearances in the first and second seasons of Star Trek: Prodigy, as well as in a 2023 Star Trek Online update titled Incursion, dubbing her in-universe namesake character "Dr. Erin Macdonald".{{cite episode |title=Temporal Mechanics 101 |series=Star Trek: Prodigy |network=Netflix |date=1 July 2024}}{{cite web|title=Star Trek Online & Resurgence Video Game Creators On Crossover Appeal|url=https://screenrant.com/star-trek-online-resurgence-video-game-creators-interview/|website= ScreenRant|date = 11 October 2023 |access-date= 7 July 2024}}
References
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External links
- [https://www.erinpmacdonald.com/ Official web site]
- [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbwsk0IjHe2IFMyj0cNeflA Dr. Erin Explains the Universe]
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Category:21st-century American women
Category:Academics from Los Angeles
Category:Alumni of the University of Glasgow
Category:American aerospace engineers
Category:American women engineers
Category:American women physicists
Category:Educational and science YouTubers
Category:People from Fort Collins, Colorado
Category:American science communicators
Category:University of Colorado Boulder alumni
Category:University of New Mexico alumni
Category:Women aerospace engineers