Background
III, Howard John Wood, was born on July 19, 1938 in Baltimore. Son of Howard John Junior and Cara (Loss) W.
III, Howard John Wood, was born on July 19, 1938 in Baltimore. Son of Howard John Junior and Cara (Loss) W.
Bachelor in Astronomy, Swarthmore College, 1960. Master of Arts, Indiana University, 1962. Doctor of Philosophy, Indiana University, 1965.
Lecturer, assistant professor then associate professor University Virginia, Charlottesville, 1964-1970. Staff astronomer European Southern Observatory, Santiago, Chile, 1970-1975. Fulbright Research fellow University Vienna Observatory, 1976-1978.
Research associate Indiana University, Bloomington, 1978-1981. Assistant to the director Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, La Serena, Chile, 1982-1983. Physicist, astronomer National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, since 1984, manager instrument synthesis and analysis laboratory, 2000—2008, optics lead engineer, Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System, since 2008.
Optics lead engineer Mars Observer Laser Altimeter, 1989-1990, GFC Hubble Space Telescope, Greenbelt, since 1990. GFC advisor optics and outreach James Webb Space Telescope, Greenbelt, since 1996. GFC advisor, participant Hubble Space Telescope Allen Communications, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Danbury, Connecticut, 1990, Greenbelt.
Co-chairman Hubble Space Telescope Indiana Optical Review Panel, Columbia, Maryland, 1990-1991. Member panel The Townes/SAGE Panel-Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, 1991-1992.
Member International Astronomical Union (Commission 29 since 1962), Optical Society of America (chair optical technical division 1999-2001, co-chair annual meeting 2002), American Astronomical Society, Sigma Xi.
Married Austine Barton Read, June 10, 1961 (divorced January 1975). Children: Cara Loss, Erika Barton. Married Maria Ilona Kovacs, May 22, 1977.
1 child, Andreas M.