IEEE CENTRAL COAST FREE EVENT – 18 SEPTEMBER @ 6PM @ RUSTY’S PIZZA       

Annie Kirby, HEAD OF ENGINEERING & OPERATIONS AT Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO)

“ENGINEERING LAS CUMBRES OBSERVATORY GLOBAL TELESCOPE NETWORK”

Location – Rusty’s Pizza ­­5934 Calle Real, Goleta, CA 93117

6:00 PM – Complimentary Pizza, Salad, Beverage­

6:25 PM – Central Coast Section Status

6:30 PM – Annie Kirby Presents

Please join us for the 18 September 2024 IEEE Central Coast Event when Annie Kirby will explain how 25 telescopes at 7 sites around the Globe connected via the internet has advanced astronomy.  I look forward to seeing you all on the 18th and know you will all enjoy this talk.  Best regards, Ruth Franklin IEEE Central Coast Chair

Link to Register yourself and guests:  https://events.vtools.ieee.org/event/register/432925

“Engineering the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network”

Abstract: Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) is a nonprofit corporation based in Goleta, California, dedicated to advancing worldwide understanding of the universe through science and education with its global network of fully-robotic optical telescopes. LCO began its mission in 2005 and has been operating a global network continuously since May of 2014. The network currently consists of twenty-five telescopes, located at seven sites of high astronomical quality, which together serve as a single integrated observatory. The observatory is leading the future of time domain astronomy with observations that capitalize on the network’s unique capabilities. This talk will present the history and development of LCO, with an emphasis on the unique and dynamic engineering accomplishments of our dedicated team.

Annie Kirby bio: Annie Kirby grew up in Grand Junction, Colorado, and attended the University of Colorado Boulder, where she majored in Aerospace Engineering.  After college, Annie worked for NASA at the Ames Research Center and then did a two-year stint in the Peace Corps in the country of Vanuatu. She was initially hired at LCO off of a Craigslist ad for a Mechanical Engineering Intern.  Within a few months, she was hired as a full-time Mechanical Engineer.  Between 2006 and 2013, Annie took on more responsibility leading the engineering team and in 2013 moved into the role of Head of Engineering and Operations.