Jonathan Kemp

Telescope and Scientific Computing Specialist

Jonathan Kemp
Office
McCardell Bicen Hall R01
Tel
(802) 443-2265
Email
jkemp@middlebury.edu
Office Hours
by appt, in-person or online

As Telescope and Scientific Computing Specialist, I am responsible for management, operation, maintenance, consultation, and support related to all aspects of the Observatory.  This includes ensuring proper operation and maintenance of all Observatory equipment; assisting faculty and students to support the utilization of the Observatory in lab-based courses and research; development and implementation of educational outreach to the community; and, oversight of student staff.

I also work closely with ITS, Library, MiddLab, and DLINQ teams to provide research computing and scientific data support among faculty, staff and students across the sciences to empower scholarship and operations.  This includes software, hardware, and resource selection and use; website development; instruction as it relates to computing and data; and, support of data storage and retrieval. Additionally, I serve as a liaison between the sciences division of academics and technology services.

My expertise includes observatory management, observational astronomy, and scientific computing.  My areas of interest include undergraduate education, liberal arts education, STEM education and public outreach, science communication, citizen science, lifelong learning, cataclysmic variable binary stars, optical time series photometry, professional-amateur collaboration, small-telescope science, telescope and instrument technologies, laboratory safety, graphic design, data management, open-source software, Python, and Linux operating systems.

Current institutional service includes Staff Council, MiddLab (institutional technologists hub), the Research Computing Committee, and the Laboratory Safety Working Group.

Current community service includes the Carpentries (teaching foundational coding and data science skills to students and researchers), a local amateur astronomy group, and treasurer duties of a local non-profit corporation.

Before arriving at Middlebury, I was previously at Gemini Observatory, the Joint Astronomy Centre (including the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope and the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope), and Columbia University.  I have been a visiting observer at MDM Observatory, Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory, South African Astronomical Observatory, Kitt Peak National Observatory, and McDonald Observatory.  Collaborations include the Keck Northeast Astronomy Consortium, the Center for Backyard Astrophysics, and the Mittelman Observatories at New Mexico Skies.

Publications